


All to Myself

by FruitsbasketAddict1236



Category: Fruits Basket
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 40,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FruitsbasketAddict1236/pseuds/FruitsbasketAddict1236
Summary: While Shigure is away for the weekend, Kyou sees the time alone as the perfect opportunity to confess his true feelings to Tohru. Sadly, his plans are quickly extinguished by a group of uninvited guests. Will Kyou ever find the perfect opportunity to admit his true feelings to Tohru?
Relationships: Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou
Comments: 120
Kudos: 103





	1. "I Need to Talk to You"

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my very first fanfiction piece so please be kind. I will release new chapters as often as I am able to. I honestly don't know how many chapters this one will have, but I will do my best to stick with it until I'm satisfied with the ending. I'm always open to constructive criticism and ways that I can improve my writing. Also, open to new ideas to add to the story or to explore in future writings. Enjoy ❤

It was a crisp, Autumn night. The moments they shared at the beachhouse were now precious memories. It was time to put Summer behind them and focus on what's ahead.

Shigure was gone for the weekend at a writers convention, leaving the teenagers home alone. It was the first time they were entrusted to be left alone for more than a few hours and they didn't want to screw it up.

Yuki was looking forward to some quiet time where he could focus on his school work, student counsel priorities and prepare for his upcoming exams. Tohru, of course, was still adamant about getting housework done.

And Kyou....well Kyou wanted nothing more than for that damn rat to disappear for the weekend with Shigure so he could really enjoy this time with Tohru... but the current circumstances would have to do.

"I'll be upstairs if you need me Ms. Honda." Yuki smiled, but quickly changed his tone after glancing at Kyou "Don't do anything reckless, stupid cat."

_The nerve of this guy!_

"Grrr.... SHUT UP YOU DAMN RAT! WHAT I DO IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Kyou shouted. He knew that Yuki was just trying to screw with his head, but he wouldn't let him ruin this.

_Not tonight. Not this moment._

This was the first time Kyou had been alone with Tohru since the beach house. The first time he'd been alone with her since he finally admitted to himself that he loved her.

 _He loved her... he loved her so much_.

It was so easy for him to say that in his head. It was so clear to him now. Why had it taken him so long to come to that realization? Why had he not figured it out sooner?

There was so much time that he wasted trying to pretend as though he felt indifferent. Hell, it took him months to admit that he even considered her a friend. How long had he felt this way? How long had he longed to pull her in close.... how long had he wanted to hold her in his arms and never let go? How long had he wanted to feel her soft, rosy lips against his?

Kyou's heart began to race as thoughts of their first embrace played out in his head. He felt his palms begin to sweat. He knew something about this moment felt different. Almost like something big was about to happen. That thought scared the crap out of him.

"Kyou? You okay? You don't look too good.." Tohru asked.

"Huh?...Oh uh....no! I mean..... Yes...." Kyou felt himself start to panic. What the hell was he doing? This is Tohru. The girl he's grown so comfortable sharing everything with... The girl who saw his true form. The girl who accepted him at his ugliest and most terrifying.... Why is he suddenly unable to speak to her without sounding like a complete idiot?

He knew why... he knew that this moment was different. She was no longer just his warm hearted friend that was easy to talk to or a kind soul that he could vent his problems to...

No... she was so much more than that now. He now felt the overwhelming feelings of desire. The desire to make her his forever and to never leave her side. The desire to hold her in his arms and drown her in his affection.

The thought of it made his ears feel hot and brought redness to his face, but also an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, like he may throw up if he uttered a single syllable.

"Okay, well... as long as you're sure" Tohru hesitated. "I'm just gonna start dinner, okay?"

_Say something, idiot!_

"L…let me help. "Kyou finally released a coherent sentence.

Tohru's face lit up. "That would be wonderful!" She exclaimed.

_Damn it.... why does she have to be so cute._

He always thought Tohru was cute of course. That day she discovered their secret, he remembered thinking those thoughts. Her cuteness was obvious. Anyone with half a brain could see that.

But now... now he saw her as a woman. He noticed every small detail about her. The smell of her strawberry scented hair. The way her hair flowed as she flipped it away from her face. The adorable crinkle in her nose when she thought something was really funny. The melodic sound of her voice when she said his name. The warmth of her brown eyes as she listened with sincerity. The sway of her hips as she walked...

_Stop! Stop it you pervert!_

  
Kyou hated having those thoughts about her. The thoughts that extended beyond her cuteness. The thoughts that made him desire her in a way that he's never wanted any girl.

It felt wrong. It felt wrong because Tohru was so pure and innocent. He didn't want to taint the image of such a perfect person.

But he couldn't help it. He wanted her. He wanted all of her. All to himself.

That must be what love is. Kyou had never fallen in love before, not like this. Only love that was shared between a parent and their child or a platonic love that you have for your friends.

 _Okay, snap out of it or Tohru will worry_.

Kyou began helping Tohru in the kitchen by chopping vegetables. His hands shook dramatically as he worked but he did his best to control himself. He tried to use the breathing techniques that his Master had taught him over the years.

 _Tonight needs to be the night. She needs to know how I'm feeling_.

Kyou was beginning to suspect that Tohru possibly shared some of the same feelings he had for her. He noticed the way she looked at him sometimes and how bashful she became when they accidentally touched or how flustered she would get after he teased her.

_I need to know. Honestly, what do I have to lose?_

Kyou looked over at Tohru. The steam from the pot of stew she was making left a thin layer of sweat on her face. He could not help but stare and admire the beautiful features of her face. Even drenched in sweat, she was perfect.

“Kyou? Are you sure you're okay?” Tohru questioned, looking even more concerned than she did earlier. “You look like you're about to pass out. Are you feeling under the weather?”

As she said that, Tohru placed a hand on Kyou's forehead. It sent a shiver down his spine. Even just a hand to his forehead was enough to weaken his resolve.

“I said I’m fine….quit your worrying, okay?” Kyou smiled and grabbed Tohru’s hand as he removed it from his forehead.

Instead of immediately letting her hand go, he hesitated. He looked down at her soft, petite hands and smiled.

“You really do worry too much.” He said as he finally released her hand, hoping she didn't notice him shaking

“Okay. Well in that case, thank you for helping me tonight. It's always more fun when I get to cook with you.” She beamed.

_I can't take this anymore! This is torture! I need to. .. No! It's too soon…._

“Of course, dummy. What else would I be doing?” Kyou joked as he playfully bonked her on the head with a closed fist.

Kyou finished helping Tohru with dinner. They ate together with Yuki and mostly exchanged small talk that involved asking each other how their day went and sharing things that had been happening at school. Kyou was secretly begging for Yuki to leave so he could be alone with Tohru.

_But how would I even start? Where do I begin? Do I just tell her in the kitchen or do I take her somewhere romantic? What if rat boy heard? Ugh! This is so confusing…._

Kyou sat there, mostly silent as he contemplated how he was going to tell her.

  
“Are you all done, Kyou?” Tohru asked

“Uh…um…oh yeah, sorry. Here, I'll clean up.” He responded

“Thank you so much, but I don't mind helping" Tohru said as she stood up.

Before she could walk into the kitchen, Kyou extended his arm out to stop her. He was unable to make eye contact so instead he looked at the floor as he spoke.

“Tohru…I…I need to talk to you…about something important. I was thinking. . Would it be okay for us to go and talk on the roof. You know…so we're alone? Kyou’s voice shook as he finally gathered the courage.

Tohru’s eyes widened. He could immediately tell she was surprised by his request. They’ve had conversations up on the roof before, but never any that were planned. Kyou wondered if she knew what he wanted to say.

“Of course! Let me just go and grab a sweater. You should grab one too, Kyou! It's a little chilly out tonight.”Tohru replied with a glimmer in her eyes.

Kyou suddenly felt a flutter in his chest

  
_This is it…this is my chance!_

Kyou finished cleaning up as quickly as he could. He ran to his bedroom, grabbed a warm sweater and sprayed just the smallest splash of cologne on his neck.

His heart was pounding.

He met Tohru downstairs. She was wearing an adorable pink fluffy sweater that he wanted to fall into.

Kyou smirked as his nose quickly filled with the aroma of perfume, which he knew wasn't there earlier. His confidence grew even more knowing that she was putting in the effort the way he had.

“Shall we?” Kyou asked as he extended his arm for her to hold so he could escort her outside.

Tohru giggled as she grabbed his arm “Yes, let's go.“

As they approached the front of the house, they were suddenly startled by a loud knock at the door.

_Who could that be? And at this hour?_

As Kyo opened the door, his heart immediately sank.

“Yo.” A deep voice exclaimed. Despite it being so dark, Kyou immediately knew it was the voice of Hatsuharu. At the door stood Hatsuharu, Momiji, Kagura, Arisa, and Saki. They all carried small overnight bags.

“What the hell are you all doing here?! Do you not realize how late it is?!” Kyo growled. 

“We’re here to party!” Momiji shouted as he jumped up and down. Momiji grabbed Tohru by the hands. “We’re going to have so much fun this weekend, Tohru! We’ll dance and start a campfire and roast marshmallows and...ooooo maybe even watch a scary movie! This is going to be so much fun!”

Yuki came down the stairs quickly after hearing all the commotion. “What's going on?” he asked.

“We heard you guys were going to be lonely all weekend so we came to keep you company.” Said Hatsuharu with a blank stare on his face.

_ALONE…. WE WERE GOING TO BE ALONE… YOU MORON!_

Kyou looked at Tohru. He wondered if she could see the disappointment painted all over his face. Tohru looked back at Kyou with a big goofy smile and squeezed his arm.

She unlocked arms with Kyou and began to greet all her friends.

"Welcome everyone!" She exclaimed as she helped them with their things. 

_Damn it_....

To be continued…


	2. "Let's watch a Movie!"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Momiji wants to watch a movie so the teens get cozy with some blankets, pillows and fresh popped popcorn. After realizing his plans have been interrupted, Kyou attempts to make the best of the new situation. Besides, any situation he's in can be bearable as long as Tohru is by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading my work! This is all new to me so I hope you've enjoyed what you've read so far. This chapter was originally one large one, but I had to break it down into two sections. I was afraid it might turn off certain readers if my chapters were that ridiculously long. So two chapters being released tonight!

“Don't look so happy to see us, carrots.” Arisa teases.   
“Where are you two off too this lovely evening?” Saki questioned.

Both girls knew for months that Kyou had it bad for Tohru. He was such a stubborn and ornery guy, but they couldn't help but notice how he melted whenever Tohru was around. In fact, they often took advantage of the fact that he could never say no to her. It was quite amusing. 

“Kyou was just going to take me up to the roof for a nice chat.” Tohru said innocently. 

“A chat, huh?” Arisa sounded annoyed “What's this all about you little punk?! You better not be trying to corrupt our sweet Tohru?!”  
“How indecent.” Saki gasped.

“IT’S NOTHING LIKE THAT!” Kyou shouted “WHY THE HELL DID YOU TWO FREAKS COME HERE ANYWAY?!” 

The girls chuckled. They knew how easy it was to get under his skin. They did it playfully of course. Deep down they liked Kyou, but they genuinely were worried for Tohru. As genuine as Kyou’s feelings appeared, they couldn't help but worry that he may break her heart And that is something that they couldn’t bear. That is something that would break her…. Despite being her usual cheery self, they knew that Tohru’s heart was fragile. They also knew that Tohru was carrying a heavy burden lately and they didn't know exactly why. 

Tohru was much harder for them to read. They always assumed they knew everything about their good friend, but the fact that she hid living in a tent from them really slipped them up. They saw the way she looked at him and how she blushed whenever they teased her. They noticed how Kyou and Tohru acted as they walked home together, like they were already a couple. 

That was the main goal of the night. To figure out what’s going on between these two. Arisa and Saki made a pact. They would do what they could to push these two and expose how they really felt about each other. Besides…Kyou was a good guy. Sure, he had his faults. He had a mouth on him and his manners were severely lacking in more ways than one….but…  
They knew that he made Tohru happy, happier than they had ever seen her before. Definitely the happiest since her mother's accident.   
And that's all that mattered right? That Tohru was happy. That's all they could ever ask for from someone like Kyou. 

“Uo-chan, Hana-chan, it's sweet of you both to worry, but Kyou would never do anything indecent. He’s a perfect gentlemen" Tohru said as she grabbed Kyou’s arm. 

The girls noticed Kyou immediately blush and look away, but he didn't back away from Tohru nor did he even attempt to release her arm.   
He really is changing isn't he? Tohru does have that effect on people. She always has. I mean only sweet Tohru would see the good in a person, even someone as angry as Kyou.

But his anger is different somehow. He seems lighter, softer. It was as though Tohru was slowly peeling away his hard exterior and expressing his true nature to the world. 

Both girls looked at each other and smiled. They knew that they were both thinking the same thing.   
“Alright, well sorry to interrupt your night, but I guess you'll both have to settle with hanging out with all of us.” Arisa joked. 

“Oh no! I'm so glad you all are here! This'll be a great night, right Kyou?” Tohru glanced at Kyou with pleading eyes. 

“Yeah, whatever…”Kyou grumbled. 

The girls and guys all started flooding into the house.   
As they pushed past Kyou and Tohru, Kyou felt her grabbing onto his arm even tighter than she had before. “Thank you, Kyou.” Tohru whispered as she pulled him in close so he could hear her better. “I know you had other plans, but I promise to make this up to you.”

Promise to make this up to me? What does that mean? Kyo thought. 

His heart began to race as he dissected those words carefully. 

Okay…this is the opportunity to truly impress her. The chance for him to show how much he loved her and how great of a boyfriend he could be. 

Boyfriend…

That word hit him harder than any word ever had before. 

What did he know about being a boyfriend? How does a good boyfriend act? 

Kyou’s nerves were starting to get the best of him.   
He so badly wanted to respond to Tohru, but he was quickly interrupted by Momiji’s obnoxious whining.

“Tohru….let's watch a movie! Haru brought a good one! It's about a little girl whose family gets devoured by zombies and….” 

“ZOMBIES?!?!” Tohru’s demeanor immediately changed. Her face lost all color and her knees began to quake. 

“Yeah, it's a real tearjerker.” Haru said sarcastically.   
Kyou had a flashback to when they went to the haunted house. 

Stupid Momiji and Haru…. Had they not learned anything from the last experience they had with Tohru? They clearly don't know her at all!

Kyou placed his hand on the small of Tohru’s back. He lowered his voice in an attempt to avoid an audience.

“Tohru..” Kyo whispered.

Tohru’s body relaxed to his touch. His voice soothed and distracted her from her current fear. She looked into his soft Amber eyes and caught herself feeling lost in their glow. 

“Yes!?” She asked nervously as she became aware of the audience that was surrounding her.   
Despite Kyou being discreet, the other teenagers couldn't help but watch the show. It was like watching a live action romance novel unfolding in front of their very eyes. 

“We really don't have to watch. We can always do something else.” Kyou comforted her. 

Tohru thought for a second. She didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially Momiji. He looked so excited about the movie. And after all, she promised herself that would be more bold since she knew that one day she would be out on her own…. alone.   
Completely alone. 

A sudden image flashed into Tohru’s mind. It was the image of Kyou…locked up…. In a place that was foreign to her and she knew she'd never be allowed to visit. 

Tears began to well up in her eyes. 

“Tohru??” Kyou looked at her with worry. 

Tohru snapped out of her despair and balled both of her fists in front of her. 

“I can do this!” Tohru shouted eagerly

Kyou snickered. “Okay…okay, no need for the dramatics." Kyou said as he playfully bumped her head with his fist.

THAT’S NOT SOMETHING BOYFRIEND’S DO. IDIOT!   
Kyou scolded himself. 

“On one condition.” Tohru added. “Kyou-kun needs to sit next to me.”

Kyou was surprised by her demand. That was just it. She didn't ask, she demanded. Kyou was impressed. He always admired her humble nature, but felt she deserved to be more honest about what she wanted. She deserved to be selfish. 

“Of course, dummy. “ Kyou blushed. “I need to make sure you don't pass out from fear.”

The group made their way into the dining room. They moved the furniture around to create a big open space and placed pillows and blankets everywhere they could. 

Tohru found a spot in the back of the room. She figured it would be the best spot. It would make it harder to see the television and more difficult for everyone to see her silly reactions. 

“Who wants popcorn?!” Momiji shouted!

Momiji passed out small bowls to each of the groups.

Yuki was sitting with Haru, Kagura and Momiji. Arisa and Saki were sitting side by side. Then of course there was Tohru and Kyou.

Kyou could feel Kagura staring at him and Tohru. Tohru didn't notice of course, but Kyou felt the rage that exuded from her. If looks could kill, Kyou would have been a dead man the second she set eyes on him that night. 

Kyou knew it was going to be awkward between him and Kagura now. After their "date", Kyou expected Kagura to treat Tohru differently. He never directly said it to Kagura, but he could tell that Kagura knew his feelings for Tohru and that she was the reason why Kyou would never love her. He hoped that Kagurs would be mature about the situation, but her aura was concerning. 

Oh well... he thought. Tonight is about me and Tohru.

Haru inserted the DVD and moved to his spot like a stealthy ninja. Arisa and Saki threw pillows at him after he pretending to trip and fall on top of them. Yuki shook his head at Haru’s immaturity, but found himself unable to hold back his laughter. 

“SHHHHHH IT’S STARTING!” Momiji screamed. “Oh my gosh! A zombie!

“SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” The whole group shouted in unison.

Tohru chuckled. Kyou looked at her as she enjoyed the group’s shenanigans. He smiled warmly .

I'll never get tired of that laugh. He thought.


	3. "It's Just a Movie You Know?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope that I'm not going too slow. I want to build the anticipation, but also don't want to chase away readers. Hope it's going at an acceptable pace for you all! Feedback is always appreciated and of course I welcome constructive criticism and suggestions on how I can improve. This was honestly one of my favorite chapters to write. So much angst and pining! Enjoy! ❤

The movie started and Kyou became quickly bored of the plot. It was gory…very gory, but the story was lacking and the acting was terrible. He actually found the movie more comical than scary. 

He noticed that Tohru, however, was absolutely terrified. She tried to play it off, but he could tell that the movie was a lot scarier than she anticipated. She had a death grip on her pillow and didn't even touch the bowl of popcorn that was waiting for them.  
Kyou wanted to comfort Tohru in any way that he could. He felt the palm of his hand searching for one of Tohru’s. The action felt so natural. Kyou soaked up the raw happiness of that moment. He could feel Tohru’s body relax almost immediately after making contact. The warmth of her touch gave him chills down his spine and made his stomach feel as though it was doing somersaults. Her grip on his hand was light at first, but after lacing her fingers through his, her grip tightened and their hands melded together as if they were always meant to be in that position.

To be perfectly honest, they've held hands before. Many times, in fact. But all of those times never felt like this moment. 

No.

This moment felt different. There was intimacy in the way they both cradled each other's hands. Suddenly, Kyou was much more aware of the sensation in the hand that embraced Tohru’s, as if those particular nerve endings were all that mattered. He felt a familiar heat rush through his entire body. The heat intensified as he felt Tohru’s fingers gently caressing the outer contours of his hand and thumb. 

The darkness in the room was comforting. It made Kyou feel even bolder knowing that he could be intimate with Tohru without anyone knowing. 

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!” Momiji screamed

Everybody in the room jumped in response to a zombie appearing out of nowhere. Even Kyou admitted that the moment surprised him. In fact, he was so surprised that he failed to notice that Tohru had unlocked her fingers from his grasp. The realization would have made him sad, but instead he felt two very fragile arms wrapping around his torso.  
After realizing Tohru’s sudden change in position, Kyou panicked as he anticipated his transformation. He threw his arms up in the air to avoid touching her body and clenched his eyes shut. Remembering that Arisa and Saki were there, he attempted to plan his escape route.

Several seconds passed by and Kyou opened his eyes relieved to see that he was still in his human form

But how?

Tohru had wrapped herself in a blanket, which provided a safe barrier between their two bodies. It must have been enough to prevent the transformation from occurring. 

Kyou was overwhelmed with relief

Thank God…

He then realized that Tohru wasn't letting go. She had nestled her head into Kyou’s chest, doing her best to look away from the screen. He felt the warmth of her breath against his thin t-shirt. Her arms tightened as the scene grew more intense. 

Kyou chuckled “Hey…it's okay…it's just a movie you know?”

Kyou lowered his arms. It felt awkward at first. He didn't know what to do with his arms. At first, he allowed them to flop on his sides, avoiding any contact with Tohru’s body. The boldness in him grew stronger as he raised his right arm and moved it to the small of Tohru’s back. He hesitated…but began to caress her back in a slow, circular motion. 

He felt Tohru’s body shiver at his touch. It caused him to question whether or not he should continue, but his actions were quickly validated by a tight squeeze of his torso.

Friends don't do this…do they?

Kyou felt another jolt of confidence. He was starting to see a new side of Tohru. A side that could potentially desire him the way that he had been desiring her for months now. 

Could she have feelings for him? Is she trying to tell him that through her actions?

The adorable pink sweater that Tohru had put on earlier felt even more comfortable than Kyou imagined. He admired the feel of the fabric as he slid his hands across the fingers. 

Kyou became even bolder as he moved his hand under the layers of cotton that she wore. His heart nearly exploded once he felt his hand make contact with the velvety softness of her skin. The warmth that she exuded was so inviting, so comforting. 

After several seconds of soaking in the feeling of closeness, Kyou continued to move his right hand lovingly up and down the contours of Tohru’s back. At times, Tohru would quake in response to his touch, but she never made any attempt to stop him. In fact, Kyou was reassured to keep going by her constant squeezes of his torso. 

Kyou didn't notice at first, but Tohru had placed a pillow in Kyou’s lap while he attempted to comfort her with the back rub. This realization brought heat to his cheeks, especially when the scary moments forced her to dig her head deeper into the pillow. 

Stop with the indecent thoughts! PERVERT! Kyo scolded himself. 

No…he didn't want this moment ruined. He wanted to focus on her and on comforting her. It was obviously just a dumb movie, but he was so thankful for every second that it brought them closer. As awful as the movie was, he never wanted it to end. The darkness was an escape from reality, a place where Kyou could push through the boundaries that he normally would have in place when unwanted eyes were watching. It was a place where he could fully be himself and give into his impulses….with Tohru.

Kyou began to think about his next move. He wanted to use this opportunity as a way to express to Tohru that he wanted much more than a friendship. Much more than a companion.

No…none of that was enough. He wanted all of her. Forever. By his side, sharing every moment with him. He wanted ALL of her. 

He knew his time was running out and the moments he had with her were dwindling. His confinement was inevitable. Kyou had to seize the moment and push himself to new limits with her. 

As Kyou continued to caress Tohru’s back with his right hand, he slowly lifted his left to the top of her head. Her hair was so smooth and thick. He twirled his fingers around some of the long strands that flowed over the pillow and onto the floor. As he gently combed his fingers through the stands of her hair, the scent of her drifted into his nostrils. It was an intoxicating mix of a floral perfume and strawberry scented shampoo. It was her scent. The scent he found so comforting since the day she first saw his transformation.

That scent brought back so many incredible memories of them being together. The laughter, the tears. Kyo will never forget the first moment that he truly embraced Tohru. It was the day she saw his true form. When he held her in his arms for the first time he inhaled her scent and lost himself in the warmth of that beautiful brown hair. Like a child who was dependent on the comfort of a blanket, Kyou desired to lose himself in her embrace yet again. 

Kyou’s right hand came to a halt. He knew that this was the moment. The moment he had been waiting for. The chance to show Tohru his true feelings…his desires…his love. He knew, now more than ever, that his lips could no longer stand being separated from hers. He had longed for that first kiss. . for so long... too long...even when he hated admitting it to himself. He longed to feel the warmth of her supple lips on his and to lose himself in that moment. 

This is it. He decided. 

Tohru was still distracted by the movie, but continued to squeeze Kyou as if she had been communicating using her own special language. Despite being scared she was more relaxed and appeared to have nested comfortably in Kyo’s lap. 

Kyou gathered every ounce of courage he had. He slowly moved his hand toward Tohru’s face, while still playing with her hair in his left. Kyou gently caressed Tohru’s cheek with the back of his hand. Without hesitation, he completed the action again, but this time the contact led to a response from Tohru. She slowly released her arms from around Kyou’s torso and used them to rotate her body so that her head was still laying on the pillow in Kyou’s lap. She was now facing him.

Kyou’s heart sped to a pace that he's never experienced before. His eyes widened as he looked deeply into the dark brown eyes of the girl he loved. Even though it was dark, the glow of the television was enough to light up the gentle features of her face. Kyou stared in awe, completely stunned by her beauty. 

He felt paralyzed.

Do something, you idiot!

Kyou snapped out of the hypnotic state and continued to caress her cheek. Tohru's eyes glistened and a soft smile appeared as he stroked her cheeks. Kyou couldn't help but return a goofy smile. 

He felt so weak under her gaze. He began to lose feeling in his legs and felt sharp tingling in the hands that touched her. Tohru reached a hand to Kyou’s face and began to stroke his cheek with her thumb. Kyou’s entire body lost all feeling in that moment. 

Kyou leans down slowly and uses his right hand to cup the back of Tohru’s head to help her move upward. Tohru’s eyes widen and then begin to close slowly as she embraces for the impact of his lips. Kyou closes his eyes as he begins his decent into pure ecstasy.

Suddenly, the lights flash on. Tohru panics as she sits back up, accidentally clunking heads with Kyo in the process. 

“Oww" Kyou attempts to conceal the pain of the impact, but it really did hurt.

“Oh my gosh Kyou!!! Are you okay??? I'm…I'm soooo sorry!” Tohru apologizes endlessly and attempts to comfort Kyou

“It’s fine…really.” Kyou can't help but chuckle. Despite the pain he felt, Tohru looked so incredibly cute when she worked like that. 

“How the hell did that even happen?” Arisa asked suspiciously

“Why does that even matter?!” Kyo growled, trying to change the subject. He saw Tohru’s cheeks becoming red from the embarrassment and he didn't want them teasing her over what just transpired. And to be perfectly honest, he didn't want anyone knowing that side of him. 

“Anyway, moving on…. What's next on your list rabbit?” Kyou looked at Momiji. 

Momiji wasn’t dumb. In fact, all the teens could see that something obviously happened between Kyou and Tohru. Momiji noticed Kagura looking noticeably upset. If he was being honest, Momiji also felt an overwhelming wave of jealousy hit him, but Tohru is his friend. He wouldn't let his emotions ruin her night. The whole point of them being there was for them to all have fun together. 

“Next we start the campfire and we roast…marshmallows!!” Momiji threw his arms up in excitement and walked over to Tohru. 

“This is going to be so much fun! Right, Tohru?!” Momiji said as he helped Tohru off the ground. 

“Right!” Tohru responded with a genuine smile

“Right….” Kyou uttered sarcastically. 

Was he ever going to have his moment with her?

To be continued…..


	4. "We Have Marshmallows to Roast"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The movie is over and now it's time to roast marshmallows! The night isn't over yet. Arisa has a fun game in mind to wrap up the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Here is another chapter for your enjoyment ❤ The words have been flowing so easily so I'm just gonna keep randomly pumping out chapters. This chapter helps capture Tohru's POV and how she's feeling in this moment. Enjoy!

“Smores! We have to make smores!” Momiji squealed with excitement. 

  
“But…wait…ugh…” Tohru tried to stop Momiji, but he was too determined to listen to her request. 

  
Tohru looked back over her shoulder to see that Kyou was still sitting on the ground, sulking. He was holding his face in his hands. She then saw Kagura approach Kyou, kneel down and place her hand on his shoulder. Kyou looked up and appeared surprised to see her. The two appeared to exchange a few words and then Kagura looked in Tohru’s direction. Her facial expression made Tohru feel uneasy. 

A jolt of jealousy struck her heart like a sharp knife.

What did Kagura say to him? How did Kyou respond?

Tohru was so overwhelmed with emotion in that moment. So many questions were swirling around in her head. 

She thought about the moment that she just shared with Kyou before the lights turned on.  
What just happened? Did her and Kyou almost kiss? Does Kyo love...

She didn't want to finish the thought. Guilt started to seep into her heart.   
She had been realizing this for quite some time. The memory of her mother was slipping away and other people…actually more like one person… was beginning to take her place. How could she do that to her mother? How could she push aside her mother's memory for….a boy? 

She wanted to hold on for dear life, to always put her mother first in her heart. 

Always together

But she can't fight it anymore. In that moment, as she glanced up at Kyou and looked deeply in his warm eyes, she felt the lid of her emotions burst open. 

I love him…I love him so much

As much as she loved her mother and cherished the memories she made with her, she knew her mother would want her to be happy, to move on with her life. 

And that is what she found with Kyou

True happiness

Kyou was becoming everything to her, her best friend. He was all she thought about lately, all she dreamed about even. He was always the first thing she thought of as she woke up and the last thought as she drifted to sleep. 

That thought terrified her. Not only was she inexperienced with love, but the reality of his confinement was almost too much for her heart to handle. 

She initially tried convincing herself that the she wanted to break the curse to save all of the members of the Zodiac…but she knew deep down that wasn't the truth. She had her own selfish reasons. 

Tohru remembers her recent interaction with Rin

What is it you most treasure?

Even in that moment, Tohru knew the answer immediately. His face appeared as soon as she uttered that sentence. 

Kyou was who she most treasured.

The pain of that realization was unbearable.  
It wasn’t just the guilt of replacing her mother. It was the undeniable truth that Kyou would one day be taken away from her. Locked in confinement for the rest of his life.

She would lose him, forever  
…just like her mother. 

Completely alone.

The tears welled up in her eyes again, but she quickly batted them away. 

Gotta stay strong! she thought 

“Here’s your stick, Tohru!” Momiji handed her a roasting stick with a massive marshmallow at the end. 

“Oh, thanks Momiji!” Tohru said, trying to sound like her usual cheerful self. 

To be honest, Tohru was having a hard time enjoying herself. She loved the company of her friends of course, but if she was truly being honest, all she really wanted was to find Kyou.

She kept looking around the campfire hoping that he would pop up. She thought maybe he had gone upstairs to hide in his room or if he resorted to the original plan of spending the evening on the roof. 

Tohru kept replaying the moments she shared with him in her head. The memory of him descending upon her lips and her pulling him in made her knees tremble and her stomach flutter.

  
Tohru felt a sudden chill down her spine and dug her face into the neck of her sweater. 

His scent. 

She could still smell him on her. It was a smell that brought her comfort. It was his own unique scent. Tohru nuzzled her face deeper into her sweater. 

  
Tohru couldn't help but notice that Kagura was also missing. 

  
A thought flashed across her mind that she immediately regretted having…She pictured them alone….

  
No! Stop that!

  
Tohru felt the heaviness of her heart. . The jealous thoughts left a lump in her throat that was suffocating her.

  
Why was she thinking this way? She hated herself for it. 

  
Suddenly, the scent she grew so fond of filled her nostrils. She felt the warmth of his hand brush along the small of her back.   
His face appeared before her, smiling brightly.

  
All of the terrible thoughts that had been racing through her mind suddenly disappeared. 

  
“Hi.” Kyou whispered warmly. “Miss me?” 

  
Tohru struggled with her response. Her awkwardness got the best of her. He had that effect on her.

“Of course!” She finally let out.

  
“Good.” He chuckled. “Hey…I…uh" Kyou hesitated. “I didn't mean to leave you alone for so long. I just….I just needed some time to think.”

  
Time to think? Oh no…was he having regrets?

  
“Oh, no! No worries at all…I mean…you don't have to apologize!” Tohru panicked. She was acting weird and she knew it. She couldn't help it. After all, the boy she was in love with almost tried to kiss her….

Tohru placed her fingers to her lips as she finished the thought, but immediately released them when she realized what she had done. 

  
Stupid…stupid….

  
“Come on, weirdo” Kyou chuckled as he grabbed Tohru by the hand, “We have marshmallows to roast.” 

  
He pulled her to a seat close to the campfire. Tohru noticed that he had grabbed the blanket she had been using earlier. He wrapped it around her shoulders .

  
“Thought you might need this.” Kyo gazed directly into her eyes as he spoke.

"Thank you. That's so thoughtful. " She beamed

  
Tohru wanted nothing more than to embrace him in that moment. To pull him in and kiss him until she could no longer breath, to finally feel the softness of his lips on hers…to….

  
“Alright guys, time to put some life into this party!” Arisa shouted over the group

  
“What do you suggest?” Yuki asked

  
“Ooooo I know! I know! Ghost in the graveyard!” Momiji squealed.

  
“It’s too late for that you dumb rabbit…nobody has the energy for that stupid game.” Kyou snarled.

  
“What?! I've got plenty of energy! I don't know what you're griping about!” Momiji argued. 

  
“No, Kyou’s right…let's do something a little less strenuous" Haru replied

  
“I got it!” Arisa exclaimed with a devious smile. 

  
“Truth or Dare!”

To be continued….


	5. "Kyou, Truth or Dare?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! As you can all probably tell, this is going to be a slow burn, but I promise to make the ending worth your time! I'll do my best to write the next chapter asap! Thank you all for the kudos, kind comments and the bookmarks! It makes so happy to see people enjoying this story❤

“What are we 12?” Kyou rolled his eyes. 

“Come on, Kyou.” Haru said sarcastically “Where's your teenage spirit?” 

“I don't wanna play the dumb game, alright?” Kyou mumbled as he continued to roast his marshmallow over the blazing fire. 

“What? You scared?” Arisa teased

“Oh come on, Kyou! You're such a party pooper!” Momiji cried. 

Kyou could feel his face heating up. He knew they weren't gonna let this go. They were really starting to piss him off. 

“You’ll play, right Tohru?” Momiji begged. 

Kyou looked at Tohru with concern in his eyes. He knew a game like this was the last thing she probably wanted to do. He knew they would make her uncomfortable and God only knows what they might try and make her do if she chose dare.

“Sure..”Tohru hesitated. She glanced at Kyou and smiled briefly.

Kyou returned her smile. He knew she was just trying to be polite. She didn't want to play this dumb game. He was honestly more afraid of the questions or what they might ask them to do. He didn't know exactly what Tohru was feeling, but he didn't want to find out in such a childish way. 

And what about him?

He was in no way ready to share his feelings with the world. Especially not these idiots. All he wanted was to open his heart to Tohru, but to do so privately... in their own little world. Away from everyone else...

“Alright, damn it…. I'll play.” Kyou caved

“Good.” Arisa grinned deviantly.” The rules are simple. All dares must be completed. We're not letting anyone slide. Truths must be answered honestly. Hanajima will know if you're lying so no funny business, got it?”

“Why are you looking at me?!” Kyou barked, “You calling me a liar?”

“Nah, just a friendly warning" Arisa laughed

This chick really pisses me off….

“Can she really tell if someone is lying?” Yuki questioned.

“Absolutely. A person's waves will expose whether or not they're being deceptive. It's really simple.” Saki said casually. 

The group looked uncomfortable. Suddenly this game was feeling more like an interrogation. Kyou started to wonder what everyone else was thinking. They couldn't allow another outsider to know their secret, especially now. There was too much at stake. They all knew Akito's hatred for Tohru was growing and one of her friend’s discovering their secret could potentially put her in even more danger. 

"Also, " Arisa continued, "To make this entertaining, you can't choose two truths or dares in a row if you're asked more than once. Gotta keep things spicy!"

Kyou rolled his eyes...

Just great...I know I'll be picked more than once... these two are after me.

Kyou suddenly felt the warmth of two very petite hands fidgeting around his shoulders. It was Tohru placing the other half of her blanket around him. 

“I thought we could share.” She blushed. “You look a little chilly and I don't want you to catch cold.”

“Thank you.” Kyou softened, “That's really...sweet of you.“

Kyou saw that Tohru looked nervous. He knew this would make her uncomfortable. He was thankful that it was so dark so that nobody could see how badly he was blushing in that moment. 

He decided his mission would be to protect her and to make this game as easy as possible on her. What were her friends thinking? They should know that she doesn't want to play a game like this.

Kyou suddenly became aware that he was concealed behind the security the blanket. It was big enough to wrap around both of them. He found comfort being so close to her. 

His boldness kicked in yet ahead. If he reached out to hold her hand or to place his arm around her, nobody would know. The anonymity that the blanket provided excited him. He felt himself getting lost in that thought. 

Before he could get too deep into his thoughts, Kyou felt Tohru’s hand searching for his. He could tell she was nervous. She was shaking incessantly and she seemed to hesitate. Kyou found her hand quickly and cradled it gently in his. Touching her like this was starting to become effortless to him. Almost like a reflex. He focused on the softness of her hands and glided his thumb along her palm.

He knew this wasn't what friends did. They had crossed that boundary and he knew there was no turning back now. Only moving forward.

“Alright, let's get the show started!” Arisa interrupted. “Carrots, truth or Dare?”

God damnit….Kyou knew she would target him first. 

“Truth.” Kyo mumbled.

“Have you ever fallen in love?”

Seriously?! THAT'S WHAT YOU ASK??

WHY?! WHY ASK THAT?! WHY THAT OF ALL THINGS?! 

He knew it... this was an interrogation.

Crap…what was he going to say? 

He had to be careful with this one. Obviously wave girl would call him out if he lied. Maybe he could be clever about it, answer it in a nonchalant way. I mean doesn't everyone fall in love at some point? Maybe he could play it off like it was some childhood crush. Was that really lying? He had known Tohru since he was a little kid after all. He'd be lying if he said that she didn't mean anything to him back then. And to be perfectly honest, he's never felt this way about anyone before. 

Only Tohru..

“Yeah, sure.” Kyo blurted out, trying to sound indifferent. “Don't we all at some point? You know…like childhood love or whatever…” 

Kyo started to lose his cool. He was questioning whether or not that was going to fly with wave- girl. He knew he was bending the truth and doing everything he could to avoid the obvious answer, but what it really lying? Would she call him out on it?

Saki looked at Kyou skeptically. “I'll accept that answer.” Saki announced, even though she knew exactly what he was doing. 

“That answer was as boring as I expected.” Arisa sighed.

“Wait a sec…who's this childhood crush?” Momiji interrogated Kyou. Momiji glanced at Kagura. She tried to hide the smile on her face and the redness of her cheeks. “Oh I get it now! You loved….”

“SHUT UP YOU DAMN RABBIT! FIRST OFF ALL, IT'S NOT YOUR TURN AND SECOND OF ALL I ANSWERED THE QUESTION!" Kyou shouted with genuine anger. 

The group fell silent…awkward silence. 

Kyou could feel Tohru loosen her grip on his hand. His heart sank when he realized she moved her hand back to her lap. 

Oh no…he thought. What was she thinking? Was she thinking he meant…Kagura? 

Crap! That's right…Tohru didn't know that he's known Tohru since she was little. She still doesn't know that he met her mother…

“Calm down, idiot. It's just a silly game. “ Yuki calmly said to Kyou.

Kyou felt like he was being scolded. It took everything in him not to lash out at Yuki. He was right after all. He needed to calm down before he made things worse. He hated when that damn rat was right...

Just get through this stupid game and you can explain yourself to Tohru later when you're alone. 

“Well, we're waiting….Your turn to ask someone.” Arisa barked.

“Pass.” Kyou responded

“No passes!” Momiji said cheerfully “Come on, Kyou, get into the spirit of the game.”

“Fine….Uh.” Kyou looked at Saki. A question popped into his head that he'd always wanted to ask, but always felt too dumb to attempt it. 

“Wave-girl, truth or Dare?” 

Please pick truth

“Truth.” Saki replied. 

“Your powers…are you somehow able to predict…or uh… I mean..sense what will happen to people in the future?” Kyou asked.

All eyes were on Saki. Everyone looked at her intently, like it was a question they've all been dying to know as well.

“I hate to disappoint you, but that's not how my ability works. Like I've told you before, Denpa waves are like people’s feelings, rather than hearing with my ears, they come directly into my brain like waves. It's not possible for me to feel the waves of the future.” Saki explained so casually. 

“However,” She continued “I've felt the waves of anxiety and despair from people that are currently around us right now as we've discussed our futures, yours are particularly chaotic, Kyou.”

The group suddenly became silent, again...

With the exception of Saki and Arisa, they all knew what was planned for their futures. They were all aware of the endless banquet... Kyou’s inevitable confinement. 

Kyou felt himself slipping away into the darkness that he was so accustomed to his whole life. Just thinking about being locked away overwhelmed him with a type of despair he’s never fully felt. It wasn't the idea of being locked away that scared him, it was the realization that Akito would never let him see Tohru again. 

That thought was unbearable.

Saki closed her eyes. “Like now, for example. You are emitting a dark and troublesome aura soaked in fear.” She added.

“Okay….that's enough with the dark and gloom. It's getting a little too depressing. Your turn to ask Hanajima.” Arisa tried changing the mood. She could feel it in the air, what Hanajima said really hit them hard, Especially Kyou and Tohru... she could see it in their eyes. She had to keep things going. 

“Hmmmm…let's see…Tohru, truth of dare?” Saki said

To be continued…


	6. "Tohru, Truth or Dare?"

“Tohru?

Tohru was too lost in her own thoughts to hear Saki. She actually stopped listening to the conversation after hearing Kyou’s answer to Uo-chan's question. 

Was he talking about Kagura? He had to be. Who else could it possibly be?

Tohru felt a knot in her throat. The idea of Kyou ever being in love with anyone other than her broke her heart. 

What was she saying?!

The jealousy was beginning to consume her. 

Even it were true, he made it seem like it was when he was a child. It's not fair of her to fault him for having those feelings so long ago, far before she met him. 

Stop…you're being silly…Tohru thought

It could have been another girl entirely. Maybe a girl he went to school with?

But earlier…I saw him talk to Kagura…and then he disappeared…And they have so much history together. 

The thoughts were haunting her. The jealousy eating away at her. 

Did they go off somewhere to talk? If so what did they talk about?

Tohru couldn't let it go. She knew she was being ridiculous, but she couldn't help it. She had always been jealous of Kagura. She was beautiful and her and Kyou not only had a deep connection through the Zodiac, but were also childhood friends. Kagura also had a love for Kyou that Tohru always admired. 

Tohru was beginning to feel guilt for letting go of Kyou’s hand. She didn't want him to think she didn't care. Her jealousy got the best of her and she let herself imagine terrible things. Her reaction was completely unfair and she felt petty for dismissing him like that. 

She thought about reaching for his hand again, to comfort him in a way that conveyed she was sorry for letting go, but her thoughts were interrupted. 

“Tohru?” Saki asked again. 

“Yes, Hana-chan?” Tohru snapped back to reality, trying to act cool and calm. 

“You okay?” Saki asked

“Yes, of course! Sorry, I'm just tired.” Tohru fibbed.

Saki knew she was lying. 

“Okay then…truth or dare.”

What should she pick? Tohru was nervous. 

“Dare.” The words slipped out. 

Dare? When did she get so bold? 

Saki looked surprised by her choice. In fact, the whole group was. Nobody expected Tohru to be the “dare" type. 

“Hmmm…interesting plot twist.” Saki mumbled

Tohru’s heart raced. She didn't know what to expect. 

“Damn, go Tohru. Being all bold and edgy.” Arisa cheered.

Tohru didn't feel bold anymore. In fact, she felt like she wanted to throw up. 

“Okay Tohru, I have one for you.”Saki grinned. “I want you to take a look around you and kiss the boy that you find to be the most handsome.” 

Saki felt guilty teasing Tohru in this way, but she knew her friend needed the help. They all knew Tohru had strong feelings for Kyou. And obviously, after months of oblivious pining and endless flirting , these two dummies weren't gonna make the first move without a push. In Saki's mind, she was doing both of them a kind service. 

“Well…go on.” Saki urged. 

Tohru’s heart now felt like it was in her throat. Why was Hana-chan doing this to her? She couldn't help but feel a little betrayed…

“Um…okay. “ Tohru replied. 

Tohru gazed down at her hands for a moment. A few minutes ago, they were being cradled by Kyou's. She missed that feeling already. She remembered how warm and cozy she felt under the blanket next to him.  
Safe. Protected. 

The answer was easy. 

Now it was just a matter of finding the courage to do it. 

Tohru gathered her courage. Tohru slowly turned to face the beautiful person sitting next to her. 

He really was gorgeous. 

His amber eyes. The masculine features of his flawless face left her speechless at times. There's no doubt that Kyou is the most beautiful thing she’s ever laid eyes on, inside and out. 

Kyou stared back at her. Tohru couldn't tell what he was feeling in that moment. He looked shocked, but equally as nervous as she was. 

They exchanged a quick smile. Kyou almost looked like he didn't expect her to pick him. 

She loved that about him. The fact that he was so humble and didn't understand how wonderful he truly was. 

Tohru leaned forward. Kyou sat motionless as he realized what was happening. Despite the lack of proper lighting, Tohru could see Kyou was blushing as much as she assumed she was. 

Tohru leaned in gently. She carefully brushed aside a few strands of Kyou’s hair. She slowly pressed her lips against the sharp edges of Kyou’s cheek, inhaling in his scent and savoring the smooth texture of his skin. 

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but Tohru didn't want it to end. That was the most intimate her and Kyou had ever been, but she yearned for more, so much more. 

She knew it was only a peck on the cheek, but even that meant everything to her. And besides... if her and Kyou ever did kiss, the last thing she wanted was for them to have an audience. 

No... she wanted Kyou all to herself in that moment. Completely alone. 

Kyou immediately grinned, which made Tohru smile in response. He quickly caught himself and remembered that they had an audience. He attempted to play it off like it was no big deal, but the others knew better. They could all tell how much those two enjoyed that despite being coy. 

“Wow, Tohru,” Arisa spouted, “I'm impressed."

Tohru felt herself drowning in embarrassment.

Had she really just done that in front of everyone? 

She hoped that she hadn’t embarrassed Kyou. She would have given anything to know what he was thinking. He appeared to have a lot on his mind.

“Okay, Tohru,” Arisa said, “Your turn to pick.”

“Um…uh…how about…Momiji? Truth or Dare?” Tohru asked, her heart still pounding from the kiss. 

She could no longer stand being so close to Kyou and not being able to touch him. The distance felt suffocating. She searched for his hand under the blanket, trying to conceal their contact away from the group. She felt a jolt of excitement as her hand finally reached his. 

This time, Kyou’s grip was firm. The roughness of his hands gave her chills. Despite the strength he exuded, he was still gentle with his touch. 

“Truth!” Momiji squealed 

Tohru almost forgot what she was in the middle of doing. She almost lost herself in the intimate exchange with Kyou. She had to really think for a second. 

“Have you...ever been in love?” Tohru asked. 

Momiji hesitated. His happy glow transitioned to a somber frown. He looked so sad in that moment. 

“ Yes.” He responded, “ Of course. It's kind of tragic though…The person I love most in this world sadly loves another.” 

The group fell silent. No one knew how to respond to that response. The silence was deafening. 

“ But,” Momiji added, “I will never give up! I will keep on fighting! No matter what happens!” He threw his right arm in the air and extended it to the sky. 

Tohru didn't respond. Momiji’s response made her feel sad. She didn't like to see him hurting like that. She didn't want any of her friends to be in that kind of pain. 

“Alls fair in love and war.” Haru chimed in. “Right, Kagura?”

Tohru looked over at Kagura. She was looking at the ground, avoiding eye contact and pretending she didn't hear what Haru said. 

Jealousy kicked in again. What did Haru mean by that?

Tohru gripped Kyou’s hand even tighter. He squeezed her hand back. 

“My turn to ask! Momiji looked around the campfire and enthusiastically pointed at his victim. 

“ I choose….Kagura! Truth or dare?” he said. 

“Dare.” The word slipped out of Kagura's mouth without hesitation.

That nauseous feeling in Tohru’s stomach returned. 

“Hmmm...” Momiji contemplated his order.

”I dare you to…..KISS KYOU!” Momiji shouted.

Tohru’s heart sank. 

To be continued…


	7. "KAGURA, STOP!"

“WAIT!! KAGURA STOP!!” Kyou desperately screamed. 

It was too late. 

Kagura was lunging at him, full force. He could see the determination written all over her face. He didn't even have a second to react. 

Kagura jumps in Kyou’s lap, wrapping her legs firmly around his torso, kicking the blanket off his shoulders while doing so. Kyou released his hand from Tohru’s embrace and extended him arms forward in an attempt to block her. 

His efforts were useless. 

Kagura wrapped her arms around Kyou’s neck in what only could be described as a death grip. Before Kyou had any chance to reject her, she forced her lips onto his, pressing as hard and for as long as she could. Kyou even felt her force her tongue between his lips, which made him resist even harder. 

He couldn't believe this was happening. And right in front of Tohru!

Kagura overwhelmed him, but he kept fighting her off. She was a girl after all and he was taught to never hurt a woman in any circumstance, even in a defensive situation. He was finally able to wedge his arm in a way between their two bodies that allowed him to pry her off. The deep kiss finally ended after what seemed like an eternity. 

“WHAT THE HELL, KAGURA!!” Kyou screamed after pushing Kagura on the ground. 

Kyou was filled with so much rage. In fact, he honestly couldn't remember ever feeling this much anger toward another person. 

How could she do this to me!? Kyou thought

Kyou remembered the talk they had just a little over a week ago. He told Kagura that he would never fall in love with her and he thought she understood. Maybe this was his punishment for never telling her his feelings for Tohru were the reason why he'd never love her. Maybe if he was clearer, this never would have happened. 

DAMN IT! 

Tohru just witnessed that whole thing…She was forced into watching another woman.... straddle him like that. How did that make her feel? Did she think he wanted that??

Kyou turned to look where Tohru had been sitting and felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. 

He knew it. 

She was gone. 

Kyou’s anger spiraled even further outta control.  
“GOD DAMNIT, RABBIT!” Kyou shouted, “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!”

“My fault?!” Momiji asked, on the verge of tears.  
Momiji felt the ugly sting of guilt in his heart. He knew what he did and why he did it. In all honesty, he wanted to sabotage what Kyou and Tohru had. He wanted Kyou to fail in his pursuit of Tohru's love. 

Why? 

Because he wanted Tohru all to himself. He wanted all of her, as more than just friends. 

But Kyou was in the way. In fact, Momiji had to admit that his efforts were pointless and that Kyou had already won. He’d known this for awhile now. He saw the way Tohru and Kyou looked at each other, how they appeared to be so genuinely happy in each other's presence. 

They were in love. 

“I'm so sorry, Kyou.” Momiji uttered in defeat. 

Momiji looked ashamed of his actions. He sat back in his spot and stared at the ground, completely silent. 

“Well I'm not!” Kagura exclaimed. “I'm not gonna apologize for the way I feel about you!”  
Kyou could feel the anger rising even more. He felt like he was about to reach his limit. 

“Come with me!” Kyou ordered. 

“But Kyou…I…!” Kagura replied.

“NOW!” He demanded. Kagura had never seen him so angry. 

Arisa and Saki ran off to find Tohru. Kyou desperately wanted to do the same, but he knew this was something he had to deal with first. Kagura needed to understand where he stood with her. 

Kyou grabbed Kagura’s hand gently and pulled her away from the group to a private spot on the Sohma grounds.

They both stood in silence for several long minutes. Kyou finally broke the silence. 

“How could you do this to me, Kagura!?” Kyou began his interrogation. “You know…” he hesitated, “ You know I have feelings for her…”

“What about my feelings, huh?! Do those not matter?” Kagura cried, tears welling up in her eyes. 

“Of course they do, Kagura.” Kyou paused. 

Kyou’s anger was being replaced by guilt. He knew Kagura had loved him for all these years. He knew that his talk with her may not be enough. He couldn't blame her for feeling the way she did, just like how he couldn't control his feelings for Tohru.

“I know this is hard for you…”Kyou began, but Kagura quickly cut him off.

“Do you? Do you really?! Do you wake up everyday in agony knowing that you can't be with the one you love, to know that they'll never truly be yours, to have them within your grasp but you can't reach them because feel…. you feel…” Kagura sobbed.

“Locked away in a cage?” Kyou responded.

Kagura stood in silence, her mouth wide in shame. Her ignorance embarrassing her. 

Kyou is to be confined for all eternity. 

She had always suppressed that thought. Kagura felt a sharp pain in her chest, like she had been hit by a truck. The idea of Kyou being locked away was even more painful than the thought of him being with Tohru.

“STOP IT! THAT'S NOT FAIR! DON'T SAY THAT!” Kagura begged, “I CAN'T BEAR THE THOUGHT!” 

Kyou stepped toward Kagura. She sobbed uncontrollably, at times he feared she had lost the ability to breath. Kyou’s heart weakened. He extended an arm out and pulled her to his chest in a half embrace, just like he had done for her before. 

“Kagura…I'm sorry…but I will never be able to give you want you want.” Kyou began. 

“I know this hurts you to hear me say this…but…I'm... I'm in love with Tohru. I've been in love with her…for a long time now. You and I…we’ll never be anything more than friends. ”  
All the anger in Kyou’s voice had subsided. In this moment, all he wanted was to make this as easy as possible on her. He didn't want her to hurt. He knew what it was like to want someone so desperately, but to be denied that joy.

“I don't have a lot of time left and I need to make the most of it" Kyou said in a somber voice, “ Please…let me enjoy my last moments of freedom with her. That's all I want. .”

Kagura fell to the ground in defeat. Her face collapsed in her hands. The tears endlessly flowing, soaking the palms of her hands. 

“It hurts, Kyou.” Kagura sobbed.“ It hurts so much…”  
Kyou knelt down next to her. He really didn't know what to say. He wanted to comfort her, but he also knew he couldn't. Kyou placed a hand on her back as he spoke. 

“I know…”He said. “I'm sorry….Kagura, but I can't give you what you want.” 

Kyou sat there with her until she was able to calm down. She cried and cried until there seemed to be nothing left in her. Kyou let her release her emotions. She occasionally cried out in a deeper moan, letting her self fully feel her pain, releasing all her pent up sadness.

After several minutes had past, Kyou felt Kagura rise to her feet. He mirrored her movements, making sure see was alright.  
“Thank you, Kyou.” She sniffled. “You really are kind. " She paused, "I think I should go home now.”

“You sure?” He asked. “Let me walk you home at least.”

“No.. I'm okay…really…” Kagura said. 

“I'll walk with her…”

Kyou turned around. It was Momiji. He held both of his hands as he spoke and avoided eye contact with Kyou.

“It’s the least I can do.” Momiji uttered looking disappointed in himself. 

Kyou saw the remorse painted all over his face. He was still a little angry with the rabbit, but he knew that Momiji was sorry for what he did. You could see it in his body language.

“You sure?” Kyou asked.  
“Yes, I should be going anyway.” Momiji uttered.  
Momiji approached Kagura and slipped his arm around hers. He felt her weight shift into him. She looked emotionally exhausted.

“Thank you, Momiji.” Kyou said with a smile. 

Momiji returned his smile. It was if they had a mutual understanding of what just happened.

"Kyou.. please tell Tohru that I'm sorry. "Momiji requested.

Kyou nodded. 

What a mess…he thought. Kyou couldn't believe what just unfolded. One second he was in complete bliss…Tohru had not only grabbed his hand, but she also chose to kiss him on the cheek. It wasn't just a peck either. . It was sensual and loving, like she was trying to tell him something in that moment that only he could understand. 

And then here comes Kagura, ruining it all and putting a wedge between them. 

As Kagura and Momiji walked off, Kyou walked toward the Sohma house. 

He knew where Tohru was. 

Whenever she was upset, she would escape to her room to hide her tears. She wasn't the type to cry in front of anyone and if she did she was always very apologetic. The thought of Tohru collapsed on her bed, crying over him made his heart ache.

He prayed that she would listen to him, to understand that Kagura meant nothing to him, at least not in that way. 

He had to talk to her immediately. She had to know how he was feeling.

He had to tell her now. 

He started to rehearse exactly what he was going to say in his head. 

As he approached the hallway, he noticed Saki and Arisa exiting her room, shutting the door behind them. 

Just great.. he thought. What did they say to her?

"Stop right there, carrots. We're kidnapping Tohru" Arisa stated firmly. 

Damn it...


	8. "Tohru, Please Let Us In."

Tohru ran to the safety of her room in a panic. She wanted to get there before anyone who could see her fall apart.

The image of Kagura on top of Kyou clouded her judgment. All she wanted was to retreat to the security and comfort of her bed. To be left alone in her thoughts. 

To talk to mom. 

Tohru’s heart felt like it had shattered into a million pieces. The tears flowed from her face as soon as she crossed the threshold of her bedroom. She locked the door behind her and threw herself on the bed. She imagined how dramatic she must have looked, but she didn't care. 

She felt broken. 

Tohru replayed the kiss in her head over and over. Not the one she shared with Kyou, but the one that Kagura forced upon him.

Had she forced him though?

Her jealousy made her question his reaction. 

Her jealousy was so immense that she couldn't stand to watch the kiss unfold. It was so unbearable that she sprinted away from the campfire as soon as Momiji uttered the words to Kagura. Tohru knew she was being a coward, but watching them was something her heart couldn't take, even if Kyou did resist. 

She didn't blame Momiji or even Kagura for what happened. They were all just playing a silly game. Tohru knew that Kagura’s feelings for Kyou were strong and that she was deeply in love with him. As much as it pained her to see Kagura continue pining after Kyou, Tohru knew she couldn't help the way she felt. 

Tohru wasn't angry at Kyou either. Kyou was just being a good sport and got stuck playing the silly game in the first place, most likely because he wanted to make her happy. 

So what was this horrible pain in her chest? If it wasn't anger, what was it? What was eating away at her?

“Mom..” She whispered, “I'm so lost.”

Tohru’s window had suddenly burst open. A gust of wind blew into her room. Tohru thought how odd that was considering how she always kept her window locked. She couldn't help but wonder if it was her mother trying to comfort her, to give her a sign that she was listening. 

As she got up to close the window, she noticed that the gust of wind has toppled over a bucket of seashells that were on her desk. They were from the beach trip she took with the Sohmas just a short time ago. Her and Kyou had spent their alone time collecting them since he wasn't a fan of the swimming in the ocean. 

The smell of the ocean filled her nose as she picked them up one by one, each shell sparked a new memory with Kyou. She remembers sharing so many wonderful memories with him in that trip. 

The strongest memory was tied to a broken sand dollar. Tohru recalls that day very vividly. It was the another day where Kyou and Tohru stayed back at the vacation house while the rest of the group visited Akito.

  
Tohru remembers seeing the sand dollar dancing amongst the waves, unable to decide if it wanted to land on the safety of the beach or to continue to ride the excitement of the waves. It was perfect and she had never collected one in that great of shape before. 

She began chasing it, determined to bring it home to her collection, unaware of her surroundings. 

“Let me help, dummy…”Kyou recommended as he chased after her. “You better watch what you're doing or you'll trip!” 

Sure enough, Tohru tripped on her own two feet, which was very like her. She tumbled forward, her head directly in the path of a single, large rock. Kyou lunged in front of Tohru, twisting his body so that his back would suffer the impact of the rock. 

Tohru never saw how he pulled off such a display of athleticism but assumed it had a lot to do with his cat like reflexes. As he fell to the ground, he extended his arms out in order to catch her.   


"KYOU?! ARE YOU OKAY?" She panicked. 

"I'm fine.." he chuckled, "Geeze, watch where you're going next time, will ya?"

Tohru laughed. "Yes, sorry." She snorted.

God…he’s so handsome…she thought. 

"You snorted!" He teased, "That's so cute."

His words made her visibly blush. 

Tohru would have done anything to kiss him in that moment, to lose herself in his arms. She could feel his strength sending heat to her face. He had the look of desire in his eyes, as if she knew he was thinking the same thoughts. His amber eyes glistened and examined every detail of her face.

The sun was seeing and the glow of the sun's rays showered over them. She felt like she was lost in a romance novel. Laying on the beach with such a beautiful person felt so surreal.

“You okay though?” Kyou chuckled, as he placed his hand gently on her cheek. 

His touch sent shock waves down her spine. Tohru leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, feeling the roughness of his hands on her face. She could stay in that moment forever. 

“Yes.” She whispered, opening her eyes to see that he was still staring back intently, but with a more serious expression. He appeared like he was about to say something that was on his mind. 

The next thing she knew, a massive wave washed over them and forced them to both roll over onto the sand, separating them. 

"Damn you, ocean!" Kyou yelled. 

Tohru was back to reality. The memory of that day was seared into her mind. It was the first time that she ever felt the overwhelming desire to embrace Kyou, to fall into him and to shower him with her affection. It made her quiver with excitement. 

“Mom…” She started yet again…”I've never felt this way before, about anyone. I…” She hesitated, “I really need you right now.” She stared at the picture of her mother. 

Tohru’s eyes began to fog as she teared up.

Why was this so hard? 

Tohru moved back to the comfort of her bed. She thought about what she was feeling in that moment. 

She was confused…so confused. 

But the thing she felt the most, in that moment, was fear. 

Fear in it’s rawest form. 

Fear of the unknown.

The fear of falling in love and giving herself to another person. 

Fear of entrusting him with her heart, which hadn’t fully healed from the loss of her mother. 

Could she trust Kyou not to break it?

She was still so fragile...so vulnerable.

But she wanted Kyou, more than she had ever wanted anything in her life. 

She was simply afraid to take that plunge. The idea of rejection terrified her. Tohru didn't think her heart could handle it if Kyou dismissed her feelings. 

What if they tried and it didn't work out? Could they still be friends at that point? They had already crossed so many boundaries... could they ever go back to the way things were before?

What if she had been reading Kyou’s signals all wrong?

There was that ugly thought again. The thought of Kagura kissing Kyou passionately haunted her, but this time she imagined Kyou pulling Kagura in deeper…

Stop…please stop…she told herself, begging her imagination to stop torturing her with such ugly thoughts. 

No…Kyou loves you, he has to. 

The way he looks at you, the way he touches you. 

She remembers the kiss that almost happened during the movie. The moment they shared on the beach. The way he looked at her after she kissed him on the cheek. The memories brought hope back into her heart. 

Tohru embraced her pillow and nuzzled her face deeply, finding comfort in the soft fabric.

“Kyou,” She whispered, “I love you….i love you so much.”

She realized that was the first time she ever admitted it out loud.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. 

"Who's there?" Tohru sniffled.

Tohru popped her head up and listened carefully, hoping to hear the deep, raspy voice of the one she desired most right now. Her heart skipped a beat as she waited for a response.

Instead, she heard the barely audible voices of Arisa and Saki. 

“Tohru…It's us..Please let us in. ”Arisa begged.

Tohru sighed in disappointment, but rose to her feet and made her way to her bedroom door. She wiped her face numerously in attempt to hide the tears. She knew the sadness was too obvious to hide. 

“Tohru…” Arisa and Saki said her name it in what appeared to be a choreographed manner.

Tohru broke down. She flew forward and allowed herself to be swallowed up by the arms of both her loving best friends. 

“Hana-chan…Uo-chan…"Tohru cried, but couldn't finish the sentence. 

Arisa and Saki looked at each other, their eyes filled with understanding and worry.

Tohru was surprised by their reactions. Had they known about Tohru’s feelings for Kyou this whole time?

“Tohru..”Saki urged,” please let us in.” 

Tohru knew she meant that both in a literal and figurative sense. 

She knew it was time for her to expose her true feelings, to reveal her heart to them.

After all, they were her best friends.


	9. "Please Talk to us"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry for any delay in releasing chapters. I haven't been feeling the greatest in the last couple of days. I hope this isn't too slow of a burn for any of you. I'm just falling in love with the story and more ideas pop into my head as I write. I personally like a good build up so I hope you all feel the same. Enjoy this chapter and I how to release the next one tomorrow❤

Tohru led both of her friends to her bed. 

The bedroom was dimly lit, with just the glow emitting from her nightstand reading lamp. 

Saki and Arisa could see the puffiness surrounding Tohru’s reddened eyes. She looked completely exhausted. Emotionally exhausted. 

“Tohru…please talk to us.” Saki began. 

“Yeah…” Arisa added, “We know something is going on with you and carrots.”

“You do?” Tohru looked genuinely surprised.

Was it really that obvious?

Tohru liked to pretend that Kyou and her were always in their own world when they…interacted. Whenever she touched him or spoke to him, it was as if the world was slowly shutting down behind her. Like they were in their own vacuum of pure happiness.

Tears began to stream down Tohru’s face. Saki pulled her into her chest and squeezed her tightly, while Arisa wrapped her arms around them both. 

“We had no idea how intense things were getting between you two.” Arisa admitted.

“I could sense immense tension and anxiety in your waves, but I was also mislead" Saki admitted as well. “ I perceived the change in your aura related to the impending reality of graduation. I know you had talked previously about how anxious you were about your future, but I didn't realize that this was also about Kyou."  
“Yeah, same" Arisa said. 

Tohru allowed herself to drown in the embrace of her amazing friends. They were exactly what she needed in that moment. They were right, she was worried about her future and school and what would happen after graduation, but if she was being honest.. the only thing on her mind lately was Kyou.

“It’s true that I've been anxious about my future,” Tohru began, “but it's much more complicated than that…I'm afraid.“

Tohru continued to sniffle, but she had a better handle on her emotions. The comfort of the girls was making her feel better.  
“You can tell us how you're feeling, Tohru. We know you've got a thing for carrots.” Arisa said. “And of course he's got it bad for. “

Of course? Tohru thought. Her eyes showed she was visibly surprised by what Arisa had said. 

“Uo-chan…you think he…likes me?” Tohru asked. 

“Are you crazy?! He's crazy in love with you Tohru!! I've never seen anyone so gaga about another person.” 

Tohru’s mouth gaped open as Arisa tried stating the obvious. She was genuinely shocked to hear her say that. The words made her blush. It was hard for her to talk about things like this, even with her friends. 

“But of course you would question that Tohru, you, the most irritatingly humble girl in existence!.” Arisa shouted.

Tohru flinched as she felt the sting of those harsh words. 

“What's she’s trying to say,” Saki interrupted, “is that is frustrating how you are unaware of how wonderful you truly are and we only wish for you to see it yourself.”

“Yeah…what she said..” Arisa muttered.

The tears started to flow yet again. 

“You guys…thank you.” Tohru cried, “ to be honest I really don't know what to say. I'm just…I'm just…. So completely lost right now. “

Arisa and Saki stared in silence and exchanged glances. They didn't want to force her into saying something she wasn't ready for. 

“It’s okay to be lost, Tohru. That's why we're here. We’ll be here to help guide you through this.” Saki exclaimed. “You've always showered us with incomparable friendship, now it's time for us to do the same for you.”

“Hell yeah!” Arisa shouted, “We’ll help you figure out things with carrots. Right now though, I think it's safe to say that you need a break. A break from the chores, a break from this house, a break from…"

“What?! No!! I mean…I couldn't do that to….” Tohru said before Saki interrupted. 

“Tohru, it’s about time you did something for yourself. Think about it, what's best for you in the moment is to remove yourself from all the things that bring you stress and anxiety in this world.” Saki encouraged. 

“Yeah, absolutely! And I know carrot top would feel the same way. Just give yourself some time to really process how you're feeling.” Arisa said. 

Tohru was relieved to see that they weren't pushing her to admit her true feelings. They really genuinely wanted her to feel better and for her to figure things out on her own. 

“Come and stay with me for the week. My family is planning on going away this weekend to escape to our serene family cabin. I would be honored if you both joined us.” Saki announced. 

“Hell yeah! Girls weekend! I'm totally in! That's exactly what Tohru needs! Come on, Tohru what do you say? We can chow down on junk food, do our nails, talk shit about boys…it'll be a blast!” Arisa appeared overwhelmed with excitement.

Tohru thought it over. She knew she would feel extreme guilt for skipping out on her duties around the house, but she was sure Shigure would understand if she needed the break to relieve stress. School was starting to pick up and she was also picking up extra shifts at work to prepare for life after graduation. 

But..her heart ached at the thought of leaving Kyou. She knew if she left for a week, she would miss him dearly. She's never been away from him that long. Tohru thought about missing breakfast, walking home from school together, helping each other with homework. . All the little moments that she cherished with him. She knew her time was already limited with his impending confinement. 

That thought stabbed her in the heart every time it crossed her mind. She quicky swatted it away. 

But Arisa and Saki were right. She needed some time to truly reflect on how she was feeling, to prepare for what she was going to say to Kyou and when she would finally reveal her true feelings. 

“Okay!” Tohru's smile was genuine this time. It brought relief to both Arisa and Saki to see a glimpse of the old Tohru.

“Okay, then get packed! We’ll leave tonight!” Arisa exclaimed. 

“TONIGHT?!” Tohru panicked 

“Don't worry Tohru, we'll handle everything.” Saki exclaimed.

“Yeah, we'll handle the pervert for you.” Arisa laughed.  
It took Tohru a second to realize they were talking about Shigure.

“But…what about… Kyou?” Tohru hesitated. She looked down at her hands as she spoke his name while fidgeting with a tissue. 

“Say your goodbyes. But don't rush yourself. Carrots is a big boy, he can handle some time apart.” Arisa said, “Besides, I’m sure he wants what's best for you. He's a good guy” 

That is the first time Tohru ever heard Arisa speak about Kyou in a positive way. It brought a warmess to her heart. 

“Okay! “Tohru said with determination in her voice. 

She still hated the idea of being away from Kyou for that long, but she knew it was for the best. 

I just need to gather my courage…she thought…When I get back…I'll tell him then. 

“Okay, well we're gonna wait downstairs.” Arisa said. 

“And Tohru..Kyou wanted nothing to do with that kiss from Kagura…and I don't need wave powers to come to that conclusion.” Arisa smiled. 

“Yes, it appears that this boy only has eyes for our precious Tohru.” Saki added. 

Tohru felt her face getting red. Her blush made the girls snicker as they left the room. 

“It’s adorable how oblivious they both are!” Arisa said to Saki and she shut the door behind her. 

Tohru felt a smile emerge. 

Eyes for only her?

The words were comforting. Deep down she wanted to know how Kyou reacted to that kiss, but she was also too afraid to hear the truth. Her friends words released what felt like a massive boulder off her chest. A boulder that was crushing her, making it hard to breath…hard to think clearly. 

She began to pack her bag. She packed lightly, only the essentials. 

As she looked around her room, she began to replay the events of the day. 

Just one week. She thought. 

That's all I need. 

Only one more week and then I'll tell him how I'm feeling. 

That….I love him..

God, I love him so much. 

To be continued..


	10. "So You're in?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the kind words ❤ All of your comments and kudos really motivate me to write more and more. For those that showed concern, thank you 🥰 I'm feeling much better. I hope your enjoy this chapter and I look forward to starting the next one!

Kyou felt the sting of Arisa's words.

“What do you mean you're kidnapping her?!”  
Kyou demanded, the anger and frustration in his voice apparent. 

“I mean that we're taking her away from this place. Man.. how dumb are you?” Arisa added. 

“We intend to pamper our precious Tohru for the week.” Saki added. “We believe that this environment is no longer conducive to her happiness, so we're removing her temporarily.”

Kyou froze.

“She’s…not happy here?” Kyou questioned, the ache of those words were excruciatingly apparent to Arisa and Saki. They really felt for Kyou in that moment. 

“Listen carrots…Tohru is just going through a hard time right now. Try not to take it personally. She just needs a break from everything. A chance to figure things out.” Arisa attempted to comfort him the best she could. She knew she wasn't good at that kind of stuff. 

“Yes. Tohru’s waves are filled with chaos. It's in her best interest to nurture her mental health at this time.” Saki added. 

Kyou allowed their words to sink in. They were right. He knew better than anyone that Tohru had a lot on her mind right now between school, work and now of course…him. 

The events that unfolded that night struck a nerve inside him. 

I can't believe things went this badly…he thought. 

Kyou had every intention to tell Tohru how he was really feeling, to clear everything up, but he didn't want to do it like this. No, not when she was so anxious and confused. He knew some time apart would be good for her. 

“I understand…” Kyou sighed. “Will she be back by the weekend at least?”

Saki and Arisa exchanged glances as if they were communicating telepathically. Kyou wouldn't be surprised even if that were true. Nothing surprised him when it came to these two. 

“Let me offer a proposal to you. This weekend, my family and I are escaping to our family cabin. I've invited the girls, but I think I can manage to create a situation in which you and Tohru can be alone.” Saki said bluntly. 

Kyou stood in silence as Saki spook.

“If you're brave enough to accept this challenge, Arisa and I will do everything in our power to assist you in your endeavor to win Tohru’s heart.” Saki added.

“Me…come to the cabin?” Kyou asked nervously. 

“Yes, it is your opportunity to prove your undying love for her.” Saki’s words were blunt and quite shocking to both Kyou and Arisa. Arisa looked impressed. 

“Look…you’re not fooling us. We both know how you feel about her. Here's your chance to do something about it!” Arisa shouted. 

“But…how do I even get there. I have no idea where this place is…”Kyou avoided talking about his feelings. They were the last ones he wanted to talk to about Tohru.

“I'll leave the address next to the phone downstairs. I assume you'll work something out if you really want to see her.” Saki said. 

Kyou paused and thought about the idea. It was terrifying . He had never been to this place and didn't know what to expect. And what about her family?

“My family intends to only be there for one night.” Saki assured Kyou as if she listened to his thoughts. “ Arisa and I also plan to leave, if that's what you desire.”

Kyou’s eyes widened at the thought of him and Tohru being left alone for a whole day. That realization was almost too much for his body to handle. He suddenly lost himself in his thoughts, forgetting that Arisa and Saki were standing in front of him waiting patiently for his response.

“You…you guys would do that for me?” Kyou finally let out. 

Arisa and Saki smiled.

“We’re doing this for Tohru.” Arisa stated. “You just happen to be the one that makes her the happiest”

Kyou didn't know how to respond to that. Did they really think that? He always knew that he had the ability to make Tohru smile, but never did he think that he made her the happiest…

“So you're in?” Arisa asked. Saki also looked at him intently, but appeared like she already knew his answer. 

“Um…yes…I mean…of course…” He struggled to say the words. “Anything for Tohru.”

“Very well. We’ll prepare Tohru for your visit, emotionally I mean. We won't tell her that you're coming the second night, that way she can fully relax and enjoy our company.” Saki stated. 

“Yeah, if she knows you’re coming and that you two will be alone, she'll probably lose her mind” Arisa laughed. 

Saki and Arisa continued their journey down the hallway.

“Oh and Kyou?” Arisa paused, the tone of her voice now serious, her back to Kyou.

“If you do anything to hurt that girl, I will fully commit to making your life absolutely miserable for the rest of my existence. Got it?” Arisa said bluntly. 

“I too will have no choice but to unleash the wrath of my full power. “ Saki warned. 

Full power?! What does that even mean?! He wasn't sure who to be more fearful of.

Kyou’s heart raced. He knew they were serious. He knew what they would do to him if he hurt Tohru. It terrified him, but he also respected their loyalty and devotion to her. 

“You have nothing to worry about.” Kyou said quietly. He sounded embarrassed to say those words out loud, especially to them. 

“Fantastic!” Arisa approached Kyou and patted him on the back playfully. 

Saki also directed a sinister smile his way. Their facial expressions left an unsettling feeling in Kyou’s stomach…He felt like he might throw up. 

The girls exchanged banter as they walked downstairs. 

Kyou took a second to process what the girls had just said. 

A whole day alone with Tohru? All to myself?

The idea of being alone with her…really alone…sent shockwaves throughout his entire body. 

This is it, he thought. This is my chance. 

Before Kyou could get too lost in the fantasy, Tohru opened the door to her bedroom.

“Oh…hello Kyou.” Tohru greeted

“Hello” Kyou responded warmly. 

To be continued…


	11. "Goodnight, Kyou"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the kudos and kind words ❤ Your feedback really is appreciated. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Probably my favorite chapter to write so far 🥰

Tohru and Kyou stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, waiting for the other to speak. 

“I..uh…” They both say in unison.

“Oh…sorry.” Again, in unison, as if they were reading each other's minds.

“You go.” Kyou smiled warmly, but slightly embarrassed by the awkward tension. 

“Umm…so I'm gonna be staying with Uo-chan and Hana-chan for a few days…a week actually.” Tohru stated.

“That's great!” Kyou blurted, nervously. He didn't want Tohru to catch on about what was planned. “I mean.. you deserve a break from this place.”

Tohru hesitated. She looked down at the floor, unsure as to how she should frame her next thought. 

“Yes.” She smiled half-heartedly. “It'll be a fun girl's week.”

Despite her attempt to hide her emotions, Kyou could feel the pain in her voice. He knew she was holding back, it was all over her face. The internal struggle that was erupting inside of her. Kyou knew she didn't want to leave, but he genuinely felt it would be best for her right now. 

“Tohru…I really hope you have fun.” He said as he reached for her hand. “I'll miss you.” He said, as he nervously fidgeted with her delicate fingers.. unable to look her directly in the eyes. 

Kyou would have done anything to hold her in his arms, to feel the warmth of her chest against his. 

The damn curse. He never knew that not being able to embrace the opposite sex would be an issue for him. It never was up until this point. 

“I'll miss you too.” Tohru said as she blushed, her shoulders visibly relaxing and the tone of her voice changing. Kyou could feel that she meant those words. He found comfort in knowing that his words made her feel better. 

“I’m sorry, but I better get going.” Tohru blurted out. 

“Oh…yeah, okay.” Kyou said as he looked down as his hand caressed the contours of her knuckles. He was always in awe of how soft her hands were when he held them. Her hand fit so naturally in his. 

Kyou hesitated saying goodbye. He wanted to do something that was subtle, but that she would remember for the rest of her trip. He didn't want her forgetting about him or the moments they shared that night. 

Kyou looked up and gazed deeply into Tohru’s eyes. He admired the soft features of her face and the way her eyes spoke to him in their own loving language. He brought the hand that cradled hers up to his lips, never losing his grip. Kyou gently twist his arm, closed his eyes, and placed his lips on her hand. He held them there for as long as he could, wanting to ensure the moment would be seared into her memory. 

Kyou didn't want her to forget about him. He wanted her to go to bed, remembering the feeling of his lips on her hand. 

Tohru noticeably appeared enamored by the kiss, even if it was just to her hand. Her reaction boosted Kyou’s ego and made him feel satisfied knowing that he had that effect on her. He couldn't help but giggle at the sight of her knees looking visibly weak. Kyou was glad she wasn't the only one who had that effect on him. 

He released her hand slowly, never losing eye contact as he spoke. 

When did he become so bold? He thought. 

“Okay..” Tohru responded shyly, but smiled warmly.  
“Goodnight, Kyou.”

“Goodnight, Tohru.” Kyou responded as he watched her walk down the hallway. When she reached the stairs he gave a slight wave and turned to his doorway. 

He walked to his futon, sulking as he imagined a house without Tohru.

A whole week?

It was difficult for him to imagine being away from her for that long. It sounded dramatic, but Tohru had become such a permanent part of his life. 

Kyou turned off the lights and laid down on his futon, not bothering to pull the covers over him. He laid on his back with his arms folded behind him, staring up at the ceiling. He heard some chatter downstairs, followed by complete silence. 

She was gone.

Kyou’s heart sank. 

He closed his eyes, trying to drown out the thoughts of despair. He needed to stay positive and think about something that made him happy. Kyou began thinking about Tohru and the events that transpired earlier in the evening: holding her in his arms, her kissing his cheek, him kissing her hand. All those wonderful thoughts quickly lulled him to sleep. 

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning filled his vision followed by the roaring sound of thunder. 

He realized several hours had passed since Tohru had left. He hoped that she had made it to Saki’s house safely.

Kyou knew that Tohru was absolutely terrified of thunderstorms. He knew this because one night she had snuck into his room and crawled into bed with him. 

Kyou’s entire body shivered as he remembered that evening. He closed his eyes as he daydreamed about it, replaying every detail in his mind like a movie.  
The storms started late that night. Everyone was fast asleep, except Kyou. He couldn't sleep that night. It had been raining all week so his body felt physically exhausted. 

Kyou heard his bedroom doorknob turn and creak open slowly, the sound of footsteps barely audible. He couldn't see who it was. 

“Kyou?” Tohru whispered softly. “Are you awake?” 

Kyou was frozen. He was surprised that she was coming to him this late at night. 

“Yeah… I'm awake. Everything okay?” Kyou asked. 

“Um…no.” Tohru admitted. 

“What’s up?” Kyou whispered.

Tohru hesitated. “Can I come in?” she sked.  
Kyou paused for a second, still thinking he was dreaming. 

“Yeah.. no problem.” Kyou sat up, expecting Tohru to turn the light on. 

She didn't. Instead, she slinked in through the small opening of his door and gently closed it behind her.  
Kyou could feel her moving closer to him. He could feel his breathing rapidly increasing as she knelt down next to him. He could barely make out the silhouette of her petite figure. Occasionally, flashes of lightning would illuminate the room and proved that she was really there next to him. 

He waited, allowing her the time to explain why she was there. It took her several minutes to speak up. 

“I'm…terrified of thunderstorms.” She admitted. “I know this sounds ridiculous, and please tell me if I'm out of line…but may I please…sleep with you? I promise it's just for one night!” Tohru rambled nervously. 

Kyou knew this was hard for her. She was never the type to admit when she needed someone. Tohru always attempted to put on a brave face no matter what life threw at her. The fact that she came to him out of weakness actually made Kyou extremely happy. It meant that she was comfortable enough to come to him when she needed him the most. 

“Sure..no problem.” Kyou tried to talk in a nonchalant way. He didn’t want her to know how excited he was feeling in that moment. If she knew, she'd probably think he was a pervert. 

“Thank you.” Tohru responded warmly. 

Kyou pulled the covers down and moved off of the futon completely. 

“You can take the futon. I'll sleep on the floor.” He said, trying to be a gentlemen even though he would give anything to lay next to her. 

“Actually…” Tohru admitted, embarrassment in her voice, “ I was hoping that I could lay next to you…for comfort.”

Kyou's heart felt as though it may explode. He couldn't believe what was happening, that she was actually requesting this. This had to be a dream. 

“Su..ure…I can do that.” He said. “Um…how about you lay down first, with the covers.” 

Tohru curled up in his futon, pulling the covers up to her neck. She turned her body slightly so that she faced Kyou. Kyou could see her big, beautiful eyes gazing at him as flashes of lighting continued to illuminate the room. 

Kyou laid down next her on top of the covers, making sure their bodies wouldn't accidentally touch. He faced Tohru, his face only a foot away from hers. He had never been that close before. 

“Are you sure you won't be cold?” Tohru asked showing concern. 

“I'll be fine, don't worry about me.” He said. 

They both laid there in silence for several minutes. Kyou inhaled her scent. The smell of her was intoxicating. Her hair flowed over his pillows and tickled his cheeks. He stared at her, waiting for the next flash that would allow him to capture the beauty of her face. He smiled noticing that she was staring back. 

“Kyou?” Tohru asked. 

“Yeah?” he replied. 

“Can….I hold your hand?” She asked. 

Kyou was becoming used to Tohru holding his hand. She was an affectionate person and would hold his and Yuki's hands all the time, but this time felt so intimate. It felt like he was her protector and that his hand had the power to take away all her worries. 

“Sure.” He responded, blurtng out the words naturally.

Kyou reached for her soft hand. He caressed her palm, shaping circles with his fingertips. 

As the storm died down, he began to hear the rhythmic sound of Tohru’s breathing. She sounded so peaceful, so at ease. One final flash illuminated the sky before the storm passed. 

God…she was beautiful.

Kyou was afraid that she would want to leave knowing that the storm was over. They both laid there in complete silence, while Kyou accepted the reality of her inevitable exit. 

Minutes passed by and the sounds of the night were fully audible. The storm was over. Kyou savored the feeling of being next to her, of feeling the warmth of her body. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get to experience the euphoria of this moment again. He desperately wanted to pull her in closer, to wrap his arms around her and to lose himself in that embrace- to show her how much he treasured her. 

As he processed those thoughts, Kyou was startled by the sound of Tohru’s voice. 

“Well…" She hesitated.  
Kyou sighed. He knew it was too good to last. 

“…Goodnight, Kyou.”Tohru finished as she snuggled even closer to him, making sure that she didn't make any movements that would cause him to transform. 

Kyou’s heart fluttered as he felt Tohru moving in. He couldn't believe this was happening, that she was actually spending the night with him…in his own bed. 

“Goodnight, Tohru.” Kyou smiled endlessly to himself knowing that she was no longer able to see him. He knew in that moment that heaven existed and he was experiencing a piece of it. 

Since that night, Tohru would crawl in his bed during every storm, seeking comfort. Kyou used to hate thunderstorms because of the way they made him feel physically, but now he found himself begging for them. 

Kyou snapped back into reality, the memory fading. He was back in his room, on his bed... completely alone. This was the first night, in a long time, that he slept alone during a thunderstorm. He turned to see an empty void next to him. A void that he desperately desired to be filled by Tohru…and only her.

Kyou knew that this wasn't the end of their story. He had to tell her how he was truly feeling and he was more determined than ever. 

He knew that he had to fight for his little piece of heaven, but until then, dreaming of her would have to do. 

To be continued...


	12. Chapter 12: "Good Morning, Kyou!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! Can't believe I'm on chapter 12 already. I never expected to pump out this many chapters in such a short amount of time. I just want to say thank you to everyone who continues to read along with each chapter release. Your kudos and comments bring a smile to my face and inspire me to keep this going at such a fast pace. It means so much to me to see people genuinely enjoying the story❤

Kyou woke up that morning completely exhausted and frustrated.

It was the first day back at school since the impromptu party.

The past two nights were about the same for Kyou, slow and lonely. Yesterday was uneventful. Kyou spent the day either in his room doing homework and sleeping or on the roof sulking, completely avoiding any interaction with Shigure or Yuki. He hated the idea of having to explain what happened with Tohru to them so he dodged them as much as he could. 

But today he had no choice but to face them. He was starving and didn't have much time before school to eat. 

Maybe if I leave early I can avoid seeing them? He thought. 

Kyou stealthily snuck downstairs and slipped into the kitchen. 

He exhaled a sigh of relief after realizing he was the first one down. 

Maybe he could pull this off after all? 

Kyou grabbed the carton of milk and began to chug. As he drank, the door from Shigure's bedroom slid open. 

“Good morning, Kyou!” Shigure shouted as he lifted his arms up enthusiastically. “What a glorious morning it is!”

A small amount of milk sprayed from Kyou's nose as he reacted to Shigure’s grand entrance.

“You bastard! Don't sneak up on people like that!” Kyou growled. He was in no mood this morning to put up with Shigure's crap. 

“Oh, Kyou…you always were a downer. What's the matter? You a grumpy little kitty because our fair maiden is away from our castle?” Shigure teased. 

“Shut up…” Kyou responded softly. “You know as well as I do that it’s only for a week. Stop turning this into a bigger deal than it is.”

Shigure sighed. “Alas…a whole week without our precious angel…How will we make do without her fine culinary skills and her unparalleled ability to…”

“Just stop okay...” Kyou interrupted, pain in his voice. “I get what you're trying to do. It's bad enough that she’s gone, I don't need you rubbing it in my face.”

Shigure hesitated, the guilt surprisingly setting in. He smiled to himself then sat down to read the morning paper.

“What's all the commotion?” Yuki said as he walked into the kitchen.

“Damn it…can't you two just leave me alone!” Kyou shouted, irritation corrupted his voice. 

Silence broke out amongst the three men. The silence almost more annoying for Kyou to handle than than their meddling.

He missed Tohru so much. He missed her calm presence, the soothing effect she had on the house. He missed her amazing cooking and her disgustingly positive cheerfulness. He missed the feeling of being next to her. 

“I'm going to school…” Kyou said. 

“Have a great day! Shigure shouted enthusiastically as Kyou retreated. 

“That was fun.” He said sarcastically.

“You are shameless…” Yuki responded. 

Kyou walked to school alone. Her absence was painfully apparent. He did his best to distract himself. He started to think about his training at the dojo and planned out what he would cook himself for dinner. Anything to keep his mind off of her. 

As he approached the schoolyard, he kept his eyes mostly anchored to the ground, until he saw a pair of familiar shoes. He looked up, excitement pumping through his veins. 

It was Tohru. She looked beautiful, as always. Nothing was at all different about the way she looked that morning. It was the same Tohru he grew to love, dressed the same and wearing her hair the same way she usually would. 

But this morning was different for some reason. He stared in awe at the perfect lines tracing her face and the illuminating glow of her complexion. Her hair had a soft sheen to it and he could make out every highlight in the warmth of the sun’s rays. 

She was flawless.

“Good morning, Kyou!” Tohru beamed with a radiant smile. 

Kyou noticed that her smile felt sincere. She looked well rested and appeared more relaxed than she did the last time he saw her. That made him feel happy. 

“Good morning.” Kyou responded with a big smile.  
They both stood there awkwardly until Kyou finally broke the silence. 

“I hope you've been sleeping okay.” He blurted out. “I've been a little worried…with the storms and all.” 

Tohru blushed. She fidgeted with the textbook in her hand, debating how she should respond. 

“Uo-chan and Hana-chan have been a huge help. They've been keeping me company every night.” Tohru said. 

“That's good…” Kyou said disappointedly. To be honest, he was hoping that she had missed him as much as he missed her, especially during the storms. 

“But…” She added, “I had a hard time falling asleep…without you being there.. during a storm” 

Kyou’s heart felt trapped in his throat, making it difficult to respond. That was the first time they've talked about their nights alone during the storms.. the nights they spent intimately tucked away in the safety and anonymity of Kyou’s room. It was funny to hear her admit that those nights really happened, like they weren't some fantasy he assumed he made up in his mind. 

“I….” Kyou was interrupted by the voices of Arisa and Saki.

“Hey carrots, how's it goin?” Arisa asked. 

“Good morning.” Saki bowed politely. 

“Hey…” Kyou grumbled, annoyed by their sudden appearances. 

“Well we better get to class.” Tohru urged. “Wanna walk together?” 

“Sure.” Kyou smiled gently, unable to hold back his happiness. Just being next to her again was enough to melt away the cold exterior that had been building up the past couple days. 

Class was unbearable. He hardly paid attention. Kyou continuously looked over at Tohru, noticing the tiniest details of her every move. At one point, she was endlessly twirling the end of her hair around the tips of her delicate fingers, her mouth gaping as she listened to the lesson. Kyou felt a noticeable flutter in the pit of his stomach.

As her legs shifted, Kyou admired the length and leanness of her legs, something he never paid attention to before. He blushed as he caught himself examining the smoothness of her thighs as they touched the hem of her skirt causing a heat to emerge in his face. 

His eyes gazed back to her face. Her lips were slightly rosy and slick, her face was adorably focused on the lesson. 

He could stare at her all day. 

“Hey, lover boy.” He heard his teacher say. “Eyes up here.” 

Kyou was overwhelmed with embarrassment as he felt his classmate’s eyes glaring at him. 

He exchanged a look with Tohru, but could hardly bear to look at her longer than a few short seconds. 

Kyou escaped to safety of the hallway. He entered a nearby bathroom and took a second to regain his dignity.

I can't believe I was that obvious. Kyou thought. 

He always thought he had been careful when it came to his admiration of Tohru. He had spent days in the classroom staring at her before and was always subtle enough to not get caught. 

I can't take this. He thought. This week is going to kill me. 

Kyou splashed water on his face and exited the bathroom. 

To his surprise, Tohru stood right outside the classroom, leaning against a wall.

“Were you waiting for me?” Kyou asked, feeling presumptuous.

“Um…yes.” Tohru blushed. “I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You seemed…flustered.” 

Kyou looked down and smiled. He approached her slowly, looking at the sincerity of concern that was plastered all over her face. As he grew closer, Kyou couldn't help but succumb to the feelings of desire that were stirring inside him. A desire to be close to her, to inhale her scent. He extended both arms in front of him and positioned them on either side of Tohru’s shoulders, palms flat against the wall, leaning into her gently. 

He looked down, unable to gather the courage to look at her as he responded. “I've been better.” He admitted. 

Kyou looked up after the words erupted from his mouth. His eyes smoldering with desire as he gazed at the woman he loved. 

Tohru stood completely frozen, unable to move. She stared back into Kyou’s amber eyes, incapable of articulating her thoughts. She felt a fire in the pit of her stomach, an ache to that could only be eased by his touch. 

Tohru boldly moved both of her hands up to his chest, feeling the contours of his muscles. In response, Kyou removed his right hand from the wall and placed it on her cheek, caressing her cheekbones with the tip of his thumb. Tohru leaned into his palm, closing her eyes as she focused on the tenderness of his touch. They both stood there, soaking up that moment. 

Class ended and their classmates erupted out of the classroom like a rampaging stampede. Despite the intimate position they were in, no one seemed to notice, but Kyou still pulled away, embarrassed to be seen in such a vulnerable position. 

“I'm sorry….” Kyou blurted out.

“No! I’m the one who should apologize…”Tohru responded, looking equally humiliated.

They both appeared defeated.

“I uh…better get going. I promised Master I'd help with a lesson today. “ Kyou said, still standing only a foot away from Tohru.

He reached out to touch her hand as he spoke, hooking his middle and index fingers around hers. It was his attempt to feel close to her, but in a way that was not obvious to their classmates. He shyly looked away as he made contact. 

Tohru took the bait and wrapped her middle and index fingers around his, squeezing tightly, as if she were giving him a discreet hug goodbye. 

“Yeah..I better head over to Hana-chans. I have some homework to do before I start my shift tonight.“ Tohru explained. 

The awkward silence set in again. Neither of them wanted to make the first move, to unlatch their hands and to carry on with their day.

Kyou could stand there like this for eternity, but made the first move. 

“Have a good night, okay?” Kyou said. As he spoke, he spotted Arisa and Saki out of the corner of his eye. He unlatched his hand after giving one final squeeze. He smiled as he felt Tohru tighten her grip on him before letting go. 

“You too, Kyou.” Tohru smiled. “And please tell your Master I said hello.”

“Will do.”Kyou responded warmly. 

As he turned and walked away, the sinking feeling of loneliness set in yet again. 

Damn it. He thought.

A whole week of this torture? 

Kyou could hardly bear the thought.

To be continued…


	13. "But Kyou... You Don't Like the Water!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Shamelessly, I'll admit that this chapter was just an excuse to write a fluff piece inspired by one of my favorite Canon scenes. I hope you like my little spin on it. I promise not to drag this story on too much longer. Hope you're all enjoying it so far😊❤

Kyou stood in one of the silent rooms of the dojo.

The lesson that Kyou helped his Master with had ended. Unwilling to go to a house void of Tohru’s cheerful presence, he decided to stay late to practice some more advanced techniques. 

Kyou lost himself in his movements, his mind centered on the positions of his arms, his legs, his fists- gliding himself across the tatami.

As much as he tried staying focused on what he was doing with his body, his mind drifted back to Tohru. It drifted to a darker place as he thought about the little time he had left with her. 

The intensity of his movements grew as he began thinking about the lingering reality of his confinement.  
Akito’s words echoing in the chaos of his psyche. 

“You’ll never defeat him. You'll never win against Yuki and you'll be locked away forever!” Akito’s words still fresh in Kyou’s mind. 

Kyou felt his teeth clenching as tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. The thought of being locked up, in the dark room was devastating, especially now that he had so much to lose. 

His precious Tohru. He would lose her forever. That thought alone made his heart collapse inside of his chest. 

Would telling her how he felt be worth the pain and suffering that she would have to endure? Could he bear the idea of her only being able to visit him in that prison, unable to hold her in his arms? Would Akito allow her to visit at all?

Kyou’s confinement always bothered him, but it never caused him this much pain. Tohru needed him and Akito wanted to take that away. Not only that, but Kyou could imagine a future with Tohru, a future he never thought was possible until he met her. That would all be taken from him. 

Sweat poured down Kyou’s forehead. His heart rate had accelerated and his breathing was heavy. Thinking about the darkness of his fate as the cat was slowly draining his energy and dragging him deeper into despair.

He knew he had to calm down, especially before going home to rat boy and that bastard Shigure. Kyou couldn't let them see him in such a weak state of mind.They'd enjoy it too much...

Kyou sat on the the tatami, his legs crossed. As he lowered his head, he placed his hands firmly on his thighs and closed his eyes in an attempt to meditate.  
He tried to think of a serene environment, one that brought him peace and comfort- drifting to a place that was free of negativity. 

Kyou surprised himself as he immediately pictured the ocean. It's an odd place for his mind to go, especially since he hated the water. A memory from the beachhouse flashed vividly in his mind. 

“Kyou?! Why are you back?” Tohru said as she watched Kyou coming down the stairs after his encounter with Akito. 

“What? You don't want me back?"He teased.

“What?! No, of course not…I mean of course I want you back!"Tohru replied nervously, afraid she had hurt Kyou’s feelings. 

Kyou laughed. “Calm down, I’m just messing with you.”  
Tohru giggled in relief. “I'm glad you're back, really.” She smiled brightly. 

Kyou gazed at that smile and returned it happily. All of the negativity that Akito summoned had suddenly vanished. 

“So…how did it go?” Tohru asked hesitantly. 

Kyou paused he looked down at the sand, feeling himself sinking into the softness that was surrounding him. The warmth of the sun shining on his skin, appreciating it’s beauty.

He looked at Tohru. The sun’s rays cascading down on her, illuminating her face. The glow of her beautiful complexion sending chills throughout his entire body. The angelic expression on her face matching the golden radiance of her surroundings. 

“Come on.” He said, as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the direction on the rolling waves.  
“But Kyou…you don't like the water!” Tohru urged as she resisted his pull. 

Kyou paused. A broad smile appearing on his face. He looked into Tohru’s eyes as he responded. 

“But you do.” He replied. "And everything is better... when we're together.” Kyou blushed, but forced himself to not look away.

Tohru appeared touched by his words, but quickly showed concern.

“Our swimsuits!” Tohru shouted,”We’ll have to go back to the house!”

“Eh, who cares.” Kyou nonchalantly takes off his shirt and throws it next to the sand castle Tohru was working on. 

“You coming?” Kyou turns toward Tohru, smiling brightly, extending an arm out to her. 

Tohru noticeably blushes at the sight of him without his shirt. Kyou could sense that she was nervous. He also felt nervous being alone in such a romantic setting, especially now that he was half naked. 

Tohru smiled brightly and reached for Kyou’s hand. As he pulled her deeper into the ocean, the waves crashed harder against their bodies. He felt her drifting further away from his as it got harder for her to keep up. 

A boldness grew inside Kyou as he positioned himself in front of Tohru, his face only about a foot apart from hers. He reached for Tohru’s sides and planted his hands tightly on her hips, ensuring there was enough of a gap between them. 

“You ready?” He grinned. 

“Ready for what?” She asked, noticeably struggling to stay afloat as the waves crashed around them.

Avoiding her question, Kyou clamped down tightly, lifting Tohru into the air and then back down as every wave crashed by them. At first Tohru appeared terrified, afraid she might be too heavy or that Kyou could hurt himself. The more he repeated the motion, the more Tohru grew comfortable and even started to enjoy herself. 

Kyou couldn't keep his eyes off her. The space between them lessened as he became more comfortable holding her in his arms and lifting her into the air.

Tohru helped by grabbing firmly to his biceps and would propelled herself into the sky by kicking the sand below her.

Kyou felt his arms start to burn, but didn't want this moment to end. The more he threw her into the air, the more she laughed. It was the kind of laugh that was contagious. Kyou couldn't help but return that laughter as he watched the girl of his dreams enjoying herself so thoroughly. 

"This is so fun!" Tohru giggled enthusiastically.

Her nose wrinkled as she laughed. The melodic sound of her voice was intoxicating. Feeling her hips and the movement of her body in his hands made his knees weak. 

Kyou wanted this moment to last forever. 

As the waves grew in size, Kyou adjusted his footing and used even more strength to toss her higher. The longer he held her, the closer their bodies became. Kyou was unaware of how dangerously close they were to him transforming. All he could do was watch her and soak up the joy she was emitting. 

Tohru noticed he was struggling to keep up with the growing power of the waves, so she attempted to help him by launching herself even higher. Kyou laughed at her display, but found that goofy side of her so endearing. 

The biggest wave they had encountered came pummeling toward them. The size of it intimidated Tohru and caused her to lose her balance, tripping over her own feet and falling into Kyou. 

Kyou prepared for the impact of Tohru’s body as she fell against him. For that split second, Kyou savored the warm embrace, inhaling the smell of her skin while wrapping his arms around her tightly. To his surprise, he felt Tohru returning his embrace and felt her face digging deeply into his neck before he transformed. 

Tohru went under temporarily. He saw her rise up in a panic, looking for his small body. Thankfully, Kyou was a good swimmer, even as a cat, so he was able to reach Tohru easily. Tohru struggled slightly, but was able to ride the waves back to shore alongside Kyou. 

As Kyou made it to shore, he dragged himself onto the sand and shook his body dry. Tohru giggled at the sight of him doing something so cat-like.

“What's so funny?” He asked, teasingly.  
“Oh, nothing.” She teased back. She went to grab Kyou’s dry shirt. 

“I'm so sorry.” She said, changing her tone. “I'm such a klutz..”

“Yeah, you are.” Kyou joked. He approached Tohru. She leaned down and sat next to him on the sand. 

“Here.” She said, holding his shirt out. “Wrap yourself inside and I'll carry you to the house.” 

Kyou looked at her blankly. 

“You’re joking?” Kyou laughed.

“No, I'm not.” She responded adamantly. “I'll keep you warm until we get to the house. Unfortunately, your pants appear to be long gone and your…”

“Stop…I'll let you carry me. Just don't finish that sentence.” Kyou said bashfully, nervous about transforming before reaching the house. 

“Good.” Tohru smiled, looking pleased that she had gotten her way. 

Tohru scoped up Kyou in his shirt, carefully holding him in a way that was comfortable. 

Kyou melted in her arms. She was so warm, so soft. He couldn't help but press himself against her. Tohru giggled in delight as she heard a purring sound emitting from his body. She boldly began to scratch the top of his head, moving slowly to the back of his ears. 

Kyou didn't care that she was treating him like a pet. In fact, he was immersing himself in her arms, enjoying every last display of her affection.  
Kyou’s eyes widened as he felt her face pressed against his. He couldn't help but be surprised at how limitless her affection for him was in this form, like she was no longer holding back. His surprise was punctuated as he felt her soft lips meeting the space between his ears. 

Warmth immersed his entire body. A deep longing to return that kiss overwhelmed him, but was quickly brushed aside as a puff of orange smoke filled the air.

Tohru stood there, Kyou’s shirt still in her arms, looking slightly embarrassed. In the chaos of his transformation, he noticed that she declined to look away like she usually did. Instead, he saw her glancing at his body, the same look of desire in her eyes that he knew he must have had when looking at her.  
The realization made him blush.

“Um…can I have that, please?” Kyou requested, unable to look her in the eyes after realizing she had willingly looked at him in that state. 

“Oh, uh…yes! Of course!” Tohru replied, realizing that she had been caught looking, completely embarrassed by her actions. 

Kyou came back to the dojo, the memory fleeting.  
Kyou laughed out loud, allowing himself to appreciate the humor of the situation. He remembered how cute Tohru looked in that moment. So bashful and innocent. 

Soon this was all Kyou would have. 

Precious memories. 

Kyou felt more relaxed and calm. The meditation helping to ease his negative thoughts. 

Kyou heard the sound of footsteps in the halls of the dojo. Thinking it was his Master, Kyou prepared to explain why he was there so late. 

“Sorry Master, I….” Kyou stopped midsentence, carefully choosing his response. 

“Oh…hi Kagura..” 

To be continued…


	14. "Thank you, Kagura."

“Hello Kyou.” Kagura said. “What are you doing here?”

Kagura didn't expect Kyou to be there so late. She specifically arrived later in order to avoid running into him. 

“Oh…I just needed some time alone.” He said hesitantly. Kyou didn't want Kagura knowing that Tohru had left the house for the week. 

“Oh..”Kagura said, “I’m just surprised you're not with…her. I know you've been coming to the dojo less in order to spend more time with her...” 

Kyou cringed at her words. He was never good at lying and hating doing it, even to Kagura.

“She’s…stayig with her friends for the week…. She's been pretty stressed out lately.."Kyou forced out.

Kagura rolled her eyes. “Because of me right? I'm the bad guy?” 

Kyou looked surprised by the sharpness of Kagura’s words. He had never seen her like this before, consumed in jealousy. 

“Actually…no, Tohru never spoke badly of you, Kagura.” Kyou said. “In fact, Tohru never accused you or Momiji of doing anything wrong.” Kyou added. 

Kagura stared blankly at Kyou. She appeared both angered and completely saddened by Kyou’s words, almost disappointed that Tohru wasn't angry with her. 

“Really?” Kagura asked. 

“Really.” He replied.

Kagura sat in silence for several minutes, calculating how she would construct her next sentence.  
" I kissed you... made out with you... right in front of her and.... she didn't care?! Didn't get angry?! That girl…she’s…she's ” Kagura hesitated, anger building in her voice as she spouted.

“She's what?!” Kyou asked, now anger evident in his voice. 

“She’s freaking perfect!” Kagura cried. “Everything about her…she’s too perfect.” Kagura threw her face into her hands, sobbing hysterically. "How am I ever supposed to win against that?!"

Kyou stared at Kagura, unable to decide what he should do. He didn't know if comforting her would be appropriate. 

“Kagura, this is not a competition, okay?.I…I know this is hard.." Kyou began. 

“YOU DON'T!” She screamed. “You don’t know, not really!" Kagura sobbed. 

“Tohru loves you. I can see it all over her face, just like I can see it on yours.” She added. “You don't understand what it's like to see the one you love falling for someone else, and even worse, to have that person reciprocate that love!” 

Kyou remained quiet, allowing her to vent. 

“I know that I admitted to only loving you initially out of pity, but I really grew to love you Kyou, to love all of you. “ Kagura finished. 

Any anger or annoyance that Kyou had for Kagura in the past had disappeared. Instead those feelings were replaced with understanding and empathy.  
He knew what Kagura was feeling. He knew the all consuming emotions of anger and jealousy. The desire to be someone else, to have what they have.

Tohru was Kagura’s Yuki. 

“Kagura…I know what it's like to hate someone so much…but then realize the hate comes from a place of jealousy and envy. “ Kyou said. “The jealousy eats you alive and makes your life completely miserable.“

Kagura listened as Kyou attempted to comfort her. As tears endlessly streamed down her face, she walked toward where he was sitting and collapsed onto him, sobbing inconsolably.

Kyou was never good at handling emotions. It always made him feel uncomfortable and uneasy. However, seeing Kagura so upset and so vulnerable hurt Kyou deeply. He never understood the full depth of her love for him until now. Seeing her so torn apart over him of all people was shocking to say the least. 

“This is so hard.” Kagura sobbed, barely audible. 

“I know…”Kyou hesitated. “but you have to understand, I…love…I don't love you.”

“You love Tohru! Ugh…I know…”Kagura moaned. “it’s disgustingly obvious..”

Kyou paused.

“Yes, I love Tohru…alright?” It felt so good for him to say that out loud. He had said that to her before and it felt easier this time around. Kagura was really the only person he felt comfortable admitting that too. 

He wondered why that was. 

Maybe it was because the connection they had since childhood. Maybe it was also because Kagura knew him so well.

“Kagura…is it…. really that obvious…that I love her?” Kyou asked sincerely.

“Duh…”She groaned. “It’s so obvious, even that airhead is catching on.” Kagura said bitterly. 

Kyou smiled. Yes, it was embarrassing to think that everyone knew how he felt about Tohru, but that didn't matter.

What mattered is what Tohru thought, what she could sense from him. Lately, he had been wanting to give off a vibe that he wanted more, more than just a friendship. 

“Thank you, Kagura.” Kyou replied. 

“For what?” She asked. 

“For giving me hope.” He said. 

Kagura’s sobbing began to slow, still collapsed on Kyou’s lap. Once she gained control of her breathing, she rose up, facing Kyou.

“Kyou...” She asked hesitantly, “are you really going to let them lock you up? Without a fight?”

Kyou paused. His tone changing to match the seriousness of the conversation. “Kagura.. you know I can't defy Akito…”

“But…what about.. you and Tohru? She asked. 

Tears began to form in Kyou’s eyes. As they fell down his cheeks, Kagura noticed him attempt to brush them aside, trying to act like he wasn't crying. 

That was the first time Kagura had seen Kyou cry, at least since they were little. She was shocked by his response, completely frozen and unsure as to what she should do next. 

Kagura did the only thing she could do. The thing that Kyou did for her the day he first told her that he would never love her. She knew in that moment, by sharing the curse, that she was the only person who could truly comfort Kyou right now. 

Kagura extended both of her arms outward. Before Kyou could object, she pulled him into her chest. Her movements were swift, but gentle, which in all honesty was completely unlike her, especially with him. 

As she cradled Kyou in her arms, she felt the weight of his body in hers as he allowed himself to completely relax into her, letting the tears flow freely without holding back. 

Kagura had a hand placed on both his back and through his thick hair, soothing him like he was a sobbing child. 

She let him release all the anguish, all the despair and the immense sadness that he let build inside him for so long, allowing it to erupt from him uncontrollably.

“It’s okay, Kyou.” Kagura urged. 

She knew that Kyou was hurting. In that moment all of her anger, jealousy and sadness seemed to disappear. She wasn't trying to take advantage of the situation or to "win" him over. 

All she really wanted was for Kyou to stop crying. Seeing him cry like this, seeing him so completely broken inside destroyed her. 

Kyou grabbed onto Kagura. He allowed himself to let go, to expose all of his weaknesses. It was as if something had finally snapped, something he had been holding onto his whole life.

“I just…”He sobbed. “Kagura, I just…want to be with her…forever. That's all i want”

Kagura smiled warmly. She actually felt fortunate to be able to see Kyou like this. Kyou wasn't typically the vulnerable type. At least, he pretended not to be.  
There was something so peaceful about sitting there with him. His pain was raw and transparent, like she was seeing a softer side to him that she never knew existed. 

Tohru really had a way of softening people, didn't she?  
Kagura’s determination was stronger than it had ever been. Her goal in life was to make Kyou happy, which she always dreamed would have resulted in them being together. She knew she’d have to accept the reality that Kyou would never love her. 

But…she thought.

That doesn't mean that I can't still make him happy…  
As much as it tore her up inside, she knew that the only way to do this was to ensure that Kyou and Tohru could be together…forever. 

“Kyou.. it's going to be okay.” Kagura responded as she kissed the top of his forehead. “I promise.“

To be continued..


	15. "I'm so Happy to See You!"

“Tohru?”

Tohru stared through the transparent glass, noticing how clean the glass panel appeared after obsessively cleaning for the past hour. 

She had been staring down at the streets below, looking for a young boy with a small frame and beautiful golden hair. 

I wonder why Momiji isn't here. She thought. 

It wasn't like him to not show up. He had been coming to work with her every night since she found out his father ran the company. 

Tohru was worried. It was already a hour into her shift and he still hadn't shown up. 

Was he sick?  
Was he. .. mad at her?

Tohru felt her face burning with embarrassment and shame as her mind wandered back to the night around the campfire. She never said goodbye to Momiji that night. He must think that she's upset with him, especially after running off so dramatically. 

Tohru quietly panicked inside. She didn't want anyone to think she was upset with them. To be honest, she was only mad at herself for running away like a coward, running from her feelings- not wanting to face the truth. 

The truth about Kyou.

“Tohru?” Her coworkers said again, this time gently nudging her on the shoulder. 

Tohru jumped. She was so lost in her thoughts that she spaced out again, not fully paying attention to the task at hand. 

“Im so sorry!” Tohru shouted. “That was so rude of me…to completely space out like that…and at work of all places!” 

“It’s okay.” Her coworker giggled. “But by the looks of things, you're not.” She pointed to the section of the window that Tohru had been focused on. The rest of the window had been neglected. 

“Oh no, I’m fine! Really…I just…have a lot on my mind is all…” Tohru said, looking ashamed of her laziness. She never wanted to cause trouble for anyone, especially when it came to work. 

“Dear, it's perfectly alright. We're just worried. Maybe you should go home? You know. . Give yourself a break.” Her coworker urged. “Besides, you work so hard. You deserve a break every now and then.”

Tohru paused and thought about what she said. Tohru was exhausted, both physically and mentally. She had a lot going on at school and she also picked up more shifts to prepare for life after graduation. But if she were being honest… her biggest source of her anxiety was…

Kyou’s image flashed in her head. It was the sight of him kissing her hand as he said goodbye... The sight of their interaction in the hallway at school... 

Tohru felt her legs giving up on her. The mixture of ecstasy and fear overwhelming her. 

“Okay young lady, it's time to go.” Both coworkers grabbed Tohru by the arms, gently helping her up to her feet. “We are now demanding you go home to take care of yourself!” 

Tohru smiled as they spoke in such a motherly tone. It reminded Tohru of how her mother would speak to her when she overdid it and wasn’t feeling well. 

“Tohru…” Tohru’s mother spoke in her head. “You don't have to push yourself so hard. “

“Just be you, Tohru.”

Tohru didn't want to object to the kindness that the women were giving her. She also knew her mother would be upset if she saw Tohru working herself so hard. 

“Are you sure you'll be okay?” Tohru asked her coworkers. “I hate to be such a nuisance.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” They both assured her. “Besides, you make our jobs easier just by being you. Now it's our turn to return the favor.”

Tohru thanked the women endlessly. After gathering her things from her locker and punching out, she approached the lobby. As she made her way down the stairs, she heard audible footsteps coming from the front entrance of the building. 

It was Momiji.

“Oh, Momiji!” Tohru shouted, her voice echoing. “I'm so happy to see you!”

“You…are?” Momiji asked, appearing surprised by her cheerfulness. 

“Of course!” Tohru responded gleefully. “Why wouldn't I be?” 

Tohru could see sadness in Momiji’s expression. Despite it being so dark, it was easy for Tohru to notice that Momiji was not himself. The dark shadows on his face intensified his somber look. A lump in her throat built as her earlier fears were confirmed. 

He was upset with her, wasn't he?

“Momiji…I,” the tone of her voice changing to emphasize her remorse, “ I'm so sorry!” She bowed.

“I never meant to hurt your feelings the other night! It was so incredibly rude and selfish of me to just run away like that, to never even tell you goodbye. I really should be more considerate of..” Tohru rambled but was interrupted by Momiji.

“You're apologizing to me? Tohru…that's so…like you.” He smiled warmly. 

Tohru was confused by his reaction. If he didn't think her behavior was rude then why did he look so…broken?

“Tohru I….” Momiji hesitated with his next words. He glanced around, making sure they were completely alone.

“Here, come sit down with me.” He whispered. 

Momiji guided Tohru to a leather couch that was located in front of the lobby, the one Momiji had been sitting on the first night she met him. 

He grabbed her hand as he spoke.

“Tohru…I just wanted to tell you. . I'm sorry. I'm so incredibly sorry. “ He started. 

“For what, Momiji?” Tohru asked, confused by his apology.

“For…” Momiji hesitated, a painful expression appearing on his face. 

“For pushing Kagura to…kiss Kyou.” He finally released the words.

Tohru sat there, remembering that night by the campfire. Watching Kagura leap toward Kyou, feeling the uneasiness of watching such an intimate moment unfold. A moment that she wanted for herself. 

Jealousy consuming her as she thought about Kagura and Kyou seeing each other at the dojo. 

Tohru felt the sting of tears welling up in her eyes. She had forgotten that Momiji was the one to request the kiss. 

“Momiji, I…. Don’t blame you if that's what you think.” She sniffled trying to conceal her tears. “It was just a silly game afterall.”

Momiji looked at her, unsure as to how he should respond to her kindness. Of course she didn't blame him.

“But Tohru…I…” He paused, his voice cracking as he fought back his emotions. 

“I wanted them to kiss. I wanted to…I wanted for you to be upset with Kyou!” 

Tohru was shocked by Momiji’s confession. Confusion clouded her thoughts. 

“Why?... Why would you want that?” Tohru asked desperately, wanting to understand his logic. 

“Because…I….” Momiji hung his head in his hands, giving into the feelings that weighed heavily on his heart. Allowing himself to release his anguish into his hands while still holding onto Tohru’s. 

Tohru felt her hand becoming wet from Momiji’s tears.

Tohru moved in closer to Momiji in an attempt to comfort him, placing her arm on his back to sooth him as he cried into her lap. Momiji responded to her touch by popping his head up. While locking eyes with her, he swiftly placed his hand against the contours of her cheek and pulled her in tightly. 

As their lips touched, Tohru’s eyes sprung open and her hands flew into the air, unsure of what she should do with them. Tohru neither pushed him away nor did she pull him in closely. She simply sat there, completely unsure as to what she should do, her mind going blank.

After what felt like an eternity, Momiji pulled away. His eyes sparkled in the darkness, maintaining eye contact with Tohru as he gathered the courage to say the words.

“Tohru…I love you.”

To be continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this chapter is so short. I felt like it was more appropriate to break this scene up into two chapters to add suspense. Please don't hate me 😁 Enjoy!❤


	16. "Thank you, Momiji."

As Momiji's lips left hers, Tohru felt her body go numb, her eyes still wide open. 

Momiji just kissed her. 

And he told her he loved…

Tohru remained paralyzed, unsure as to how she should respond.

“Tohru…I…just had to tell you that.. at least once…before it was too late.” Momiji smiled slightly, but a smile that was held back by sadness. It's as if he already knew what Tohru was thinking.

“Momiji…I…” Tohru replied, still shocked by Momiji’s directness. “I…don't know what to say.” 

Tohru paused. She never thought about Momiji in this way and she never imagined he'd felt these feelings for her. 

“I…” She stammered. She knew what she had to say. 

“I'm in love with Kyou.” Tohru blurted out, afraid to see the reaction on his face. Her face turning a dark red, completely surprised that those words slipped out. 

“I know, silly.” Momiji responded, wiping tears from his eyes. Despite feeling the pain of what she just said, Momiji held her hand with care and cheerfully gazed at her with sincerity. 

He knew deep down that he would be rejected. He knew Kyou had won. 

Kyou was in love with her and sadly, she loved him back.

Anyone could see it, except Kyou and Tohru of course. Momiji laughed as he thought about how oblivious they both were, how they both assumed they weren't worthy of the other person's love. 

“I know...” He said. “And it's okay, really...I guess I just wanted to know what it felt like to kiss you, while I had the chance” 

Tohru blushed even more than she already was. She couldn't believe this was coming from Momiji of all people. 

She couldn't help but notice that he grown a lot , especially since the beach house. He was starting to develop more manly features, shedding the cuteness of his boyhood and becoming a handsome young man. Tohru thought all of the Sohma men were beautiful. 

But Kyou…Kyou was special. He had ignited a fire in her that she never knew existed. Feelings emerged for him that she had never felt for anyone. It was the passion and longing that she often read about in romance novels or saw in movies, but never experienced for herself…until Kyou came into her life.

It was love. Romantic love. 

“Momiji, I will always love you and you'll always have a special place in my heart..”Tohru hesitated.

“But Kyou….Kyou is…" 

"It's okay to say it, Tohru." Momiji assured.

"..The only person I want to kiss like that.” Tohru said, bluntly.

She knew she had to be honest with Momiji. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also wanted to be honest for his own sake. 

“I understand.” Momiji smiled warmly at her response. 

Tohru couldn't help but admire how mature he was in that scenario. Also, how genuine his feelings were. 

“All I really want.” He continued, as if he read her mind yet again, “is for you to be happy, Tohru. And if Kyou makes you happy, then….well, I'm happy.”

Tohru smiled brightly and squeezed Momijis hand. 

“He makes me so happy, Momiji.” Tohru teared up as she reacted to Momiji’s kind words. 

“But!"

"If he ever, I MEAN EVER, screws things up….” Momiji shouted as he changed the tone of the conversation.  
“I'll be waiting.” He winked then kissed her innocently on her hand. 

Tohru blushed again at his directness. He giggled at her bashful reaction. Momiji couldn't help but acknowledge how cute she was. 

“I really hope you forgive me for the other night.” He said sadly. “It was an incredibly selfish thing to do…”

Tohru was caught off guard by his statement. She was surprised to see how the guilt was still eating at him. 

“I told you, it's really okay.” Tohru assured him. “Like I said, it's only a game.”

Momiji hesitated. Guilt still painted all over her face. 

“Kyou resisted you know?” He admitted. 

“In fact, it looked like he tried everything he could to stop her.” Momiji added. 

Tohru smiled. “Thank you, Momiji. That's what I also heard from Uo-chan and Hana-chan...but”

“But.. what?” Momiji appeared confused by her statement. 

Tears started to build in Tohru’s eyes. She gathered her thoughts.

“I just don't know if I'm…enough. “ Tohru admitted. 

“Enough?... Tohru…you’re crazy!” Momiji said, surprised by Tohru’s insecurity.

“Sometimes I just feel…like an outsider. Like I'll never fully understand what Kyou…what you guys are going through. “ Tohru paused. 

“Sometimes I feel like Kyou would be happier…with her. “ Tohru admitted, wiping the tears away as she spoke. “Because she understands what it’s like to be cursed…because she doesn't transform when she…” 

The tears flowed faster as Tohru spoke. She began to sob as she thought about Kyou and Kagura in a warm embrace, something she could never experience with Kyou. Time was running out and she wasn’t any closer to ending the curse. 

Momiji wrapped his arms around Tohru in a warm hug, transforming as clouds of pastel yellow smoke filled the space around her. She felt a cute little bunny nuzzle it’s nose into her neck. 

“Tohru…of course you are enough.” Momiji said, as he held her shoulder tightly with his delicate arms. 

“I can see it in his eyes.. the way he looks at you, how his temperament has changed since you came into our lives. He’s softer now, you know? Gentler…kinder. All because of you, Tohru.” Momiji comforted Tohru with sincerity.

“You are his everything.”

Tohru felt herself calming down as Momiji melted into her arms. She cradled him tightly and nuzzled her face in the comfort of his fur. She felt the heaviness in her heart and the bitter sting of jealousy vanishing. 

“Thank you, Momiji.” Tohru responded. 

“You are a true friend.”

To be continued…


	17. "Just Look!"

Tohru and Momiji walked home together. The Sohma estate happened to be on her way to Hana-chan's.

They were mostly quiet as they walked, but Momiji held Tohru’s hand lovingly, enjoying the peaceful silence. They both felt like everything that needed to be said was out of their systems. 

As they approached the Sohma estate, Momiji looked startled by something and grabbed Tohru by the arm. 

“Come over here, Tohru.” He whispered as he pulled Tohru behind a large pillar near the entrance of the Sohma estate.

“Momiji…what's going…?” Tohru asked, but was quickly interrupted. 

“Shhhh!” Momiji urged. “Just look.” Momiji pointed in the direction of the main gate. 

Tohru’s eyes widened as she saw Kyou and Kagura standing just a few feet in front of her. She figured they must have walked home from the dojo together. She listened carefully as Kagura spoke.

“Thank you for walking me home, Kyou. It was really…kind of you, especially after everything I've put you through.”

Kagura appeared cheerful. Tohru hadn't seen her since the night of the campfire. The jealousy began to creep up on Tohru yet again as she watched them standing so close to one another, afraid of what she might see.

“It’s really no big deal.” Kyou said. 

Tohru desperately missed that sound, the sound of his deep, raspy voice. It was the best sound in the world. She missed hearing it all day. 

Kagura gazed at Kyou. “Will I see you again tomorrow?” She asked. 

“Yeah.” he said. “I'll be there. And.. you don't have to avoid me this time, okay? You can come in whenever you want."

“Great!” Kagura paused. “Well goodnight!” 

Tohru noticed her looking at Kyou with longing eyes. Her love for him still present. After saying goodbye, she lifted herself up on the tips of her toes and planted a quick kiss on Kyou’s cheek. 

Tohru cringed. Kyou’s back was facing her so it was difficult to see his reaction. She wished she could. 

Tohru’s jealousy spiraled out of control. She started feeling light headed and sick to her stomach. She desperately wanted to shout something in order to stop them. Tohru bit her lip as she fight back the words. She felt Momiji squeeze her hand tightly as if he was comforting her. 

“Goodnight, Kagura.” Kyou said blankly. Tohru was relieved to see that he didn't return the kiss. He appeared to be indifferent to her affection like he usually was. 

Kagura smiled warmly and turned away from Kyou.

“Kagura..” Kyou added. 

Kagura turned around quickly. 

“Yes?” She asked. 

“Thank you…” He replied “You know, for everything.“

Kagura giggled at Kyou’s statement. 

“Of course.” Kagura smiled. “Don't worry, Kyou. It'll all work out in the end”

Tohru desperately wanted to know what she was referring to .What had they been talking about?

What will work out?

Kagura turned towards the estate and skipped away in her usual joyful manner.

Kyou continued onward to his journey to Shigure’s, disappearing into the darkness.

When they felt it was safe, Tohru and Momiji stepped away from the pillar and toward the front entrance. 

“You see, Tohru? That just proved it! “ Momiji assured her. “Kyou only has eyes for you. He's not interested in Kagura! If he was, don't you think he would have kissed her back?"

Tohru blushed as Momiji spoke so bluntly. His words were comforting if she was being honest. 

“What do you think they were talking about earlier?” Tohru asked bashfully, knowing she already had the answer. 

“Who knows. All I know is Kyou’s crazy for you Tohru.” 

Momiji went on, “Trust me…I've known Kyou for a very long time. He's never gotten this close to anyone. You've really... changed him Tohru” 

Tohru smirked and looked down at her feet. 

“Thank you, Momiji.“ She said. “For your kindness” 

Momiji looked fondly at Tohru. He grabbed her hands and placed them gently to his face and kissed them gently. 

“Anything for you, Tohru.” 

“You better hurry! You don't want to miss the opportunity to see Kyou before he reaches Shigure’s!” Momiji urged. 

“Oh…right.” Tohru blushed. “I don’t even know what to say right now.”

“I really don't think Kyou cares what you say.” Momiji giggled. “Just seeing you is enough to make him happy.”

Tohru was speechless, too bashful to respond.

“Well goodnight!” Momiji said as he leaned in for a quick peck on Tohru’s cheek. 

“Goodnight, Momiji.” Tohru smiled warmly. 

Tohru headed in the direction of Shigure’s home, hoping she would catch up to Kyou before he made it too far. 

As she quickened the pace, she wondered if maybe Kyou had gotten too far ahead. 

It was getting late, the darkness had completely consumed the night sky. The illumination of the street lights helped Tohru make out vague silhouettes, but none of them resembled Kyou.

Right as she was about to give up, Tohru heard a creak of what sounded like a rusted playground swing. She knew that sound all too well. She realized it was coming from the old community park she used to play at as a child. 

As she walked closer to the subtle sounds of the creaking swing, memories from her childhood played out in her head like a movie. Tohru remembered all the times where she'd come to this park, she'd swing for hours.

Always alone. 

So many times she’d long for someone to play with her, but the boys would always pick on her and the girls would ignore her. The easiest thing for her to do alone was to swing, so that's what she did-for hours. 

Tohru approached the swing set, comforted by the sight of him. 

He looked so peaceful sitting there swinging gently back and forth, looking up at the night sky. 

“Kyou!” Tohru shouted enthusiastically

Kyou looked up, surprised to see her standing in front of him.

“Tohru?!” 

To be continued...


	18. "I'll Swing with You"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! I just wanted to apologize for the chapter delay. I know I've used this excuse before, but I haven't been feeling well the past couple of days. Unfortunately, I'm a migraine sufferer and this one lasted for a solid 3 days straight. Thankfully I'm feeling back to normal so I'll keep pumping out juicy content for all you lovely people! Thank you all for hanging in there and for encouraging me to have fun with this❤ Much love to you and hope you enjoy the chapter!

“Hello, Kyou.”Tohru responded.

She was relieved to have found him, but also surprised to see him in such an odd location.

“What are you doing here?” Kyou asked, looking equally surprised.

Tohru noticed a half smile appearing on his face. She couldn't help but return that smile sensing he was just as happy to see her as she was to see him. 

“I was just about to ask you the same thing. “ She giggled as she walked over and sat on the empty swing beside him. 

“Oh.” He laughed, “Yeah, I guess it's pretty weird of me to be out here, isn't it?”

“Kinda.” Tohru smiled, now directly facing Kyou. 

She couldn't help but admire the glow of the moonlight on his cream colored skin and how the crimson highlights of his hair were visible even in this lighting. 

The sky was so beautiful that night. The clouds were scarce and the stars somehow glowed more brightly than she could even remember. The crisp air of the night felt comforting as it danced around her face. 

Kyou sat there in silence for a few minutes, continuing to slowly drift back and forth on the swing. Tohru could tell she had caught him in deep thought.

“Sorry…I,” He began, “I just have a lot on my mind lately and I guess I just needed a peaceful place to think.” 

Tohru nodded, placing her hands slightly above her shoulders on the chain of the swing as she spoke. 

“I get it.” She said. “A lot has been going on lately."

Tohru tried to keep the conversation light, her fears creeping up on her. She felt her palms becoming unusually sweaty and her heart was racing at a speed she had never felt before. 

This was the first time it ever felt like they truly had been alone. Yes, it's true they had moments alone at Shigure's, but that usually meant that someone was in another room. 

Her nerves overwhelmed her as she tried to make random conversation to distract herself.

“I use to come to this park all the time when I was little.” Tohru blurted out. 

“Oh…yeah?” Kyou asked, looking suspicious of her nervous behavior. 

“Um.. yes!” Tohru responded. “Mom use to bring me here all the time! It was my favorite park!” 

Kyou smiled warmly at her statement. 

“I use to come here too..”Kyou began, but his smile quickly faded as he relived the memory. 

“But that was….before.” He stopped, unable to finish his sentence. 

“Before what?” Tohru asked instinctively.

Kyou stopped himself from swaying back and forth. Instead, he sat there motionless, both hands on the chains of the swing, staring at his feet. 

Tohru regretted asking the question immediately after watching Kyou’s expression change. She knew she had brought up something painful. 

“After Kagura saw my…true form.” Kyou said bluntly. 

Tohru’s eyes widened as she listened to Kyou’s reply. She always knew that Kagura was aware of Kyou’s true form, but she didn't know that she had ever seen it for herself. 

“That must have been so scary…for the both of you.” Tohru responded, unsure if her response was appropriate.

Kyou appeared surprised by her statement. 

“For both of us?” Kyou asked.

“Well yeah…”Tohru replied. “ You were just an innocent little boy trying to hide a very important secret. That must have been hard on you. And then for someone to see you like that, even if it was just Kagura…must have been so terrifying for you.”

Kyou stared at Tohru as she spoke his mouth gaping open. When she finished he appeared to be speechless.

Panic started to build in her as she saw him brush away tears from the corners of his eyes, pretending as though he wasn't getting emotional. 

“Oh my gosh!” She squealed.”Kyou! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to...! I just meant…you know….that you must have felt worried that…” Tohru stopped midsentence as she felt two of Kyou’s fingers up against her lips. 

“Calm down, dummy..”Kyou laughed, “You didn't offend me….” Kyou paused as if he was gathering the right words. “I really was terrified…”

“You're just.. well...you're just the first person to acknowledge how I felt that day.” He stopped himself.  
"I always felt guilty about it...that I put Kagura through that. Then I'd feel guilty for feeling sorry for myself....I don't know... it's just nice to hear someone acknowledge my feelings for once."

Tohru listened intently as he spoke, the panic subsiding as she noticed his body relaxing as he spoke. 

“I was so scared…Afraid of what my mother would do.. afraid of what Akito might do…” Kyou continued. “My mother never let me come back. Since that incident, she only ever let me play inside. Hiding me from the world. . Like a…” Kyou paused

“A prisoner?” Tohru finished, not wanting to hear those words out of Kyou’s mouth. She began to feel a hard lump building up in her throat, the sting of tears blurring her eyesight. 

“Yeah…I guess you can say that me coming here is kinda like.. a sign that I have actual freedom, you know?” Kyou replied. "At least...for now.."

Tohru didn't ask him to clarify. She knew that he wasn't aware of her knowledge of his future confinement. It was a cruel reality that neither of them wanted to confront. 

The pain in his eyes lingered as he stared at her in silence. 

“But what about you?” He asked, attempting to change the subject, hiding his pain behind his curiosity. “You have a lot of fond memories at this park?” 

“Yes!” She smiled. “Like I said earlier, mom use to bring me here all the time.”

Tohru paused, remembering all the times she spent swinging completely alone. It felt nice to finally have someone sitting next to her.

“But?” Kyou added, practically reading her mind. 

“But…what?” Tohru asked, trying to appear coy.

“Oh come on, Tohru!” Kyou laughed. “it's written all over your goofy face. There's definitely a but.”

Tohru smirked. It was getting harder and harder to fool Kyou, like he could sense every mood or thought that she wanted to hide from the world. She loved that about him, but found it equally terrifying. 

“Well...” She admitted. “It got lonely sometimes. None of the kids would play with me…so I would mostly just play by myself…or with mom when she wasn't busy reading or talking to the other parents.” Tohru paused, as the painful memory started to hit her. 

“Actually, I spent a lot of time playing on this swingset. Usually by myself…swinging was always my favorite thing to do. ”Tohru recalled. 

“By yourself?” Kyou asked, empathy filled his voice. 

“Yeah..”She admitted. “Sorry, I don't mean to sound so…”

Tohru froze as she felt the warmth of Kyou’s hand around hers, grasping tightly to the chain. She was struck by the intensity of his gaze, unable to finish her sentence. 

“I'll swing with you.” He smiled gently 

Kyou tugged Tohru’s hand from the chain and held onto it as it swung loosely between their creaky old swings.

Tohru laughed at how uncoordinated they were as they attempted to pump at the same rate. 

“Even better idea,” Kyou added, his playful nature kicking in, “Let's see who can launch themselves the furthest off this thing.” He added as he pumped his legs harder, still unable to let go of Tohru’s hand. 

“You're on!” Tohru replied, releasing his hand from hers and placing them both on the chains. 

“Man,” Kyou laughed, “You really surprise me sometimes. How about…loser cooks the next meal we share together?” 

“Deal!” Tohru responded, getting into the spirit of competition. 

“Okay, let's see what you got!” Kyou chuckled again, pumping his legs more furiously than before. 

Tohru pumped her legs harder, enjoying the feel of being back on the swing again, feeling the cool air against her skin. 

She looked at Kyou. She saw that he was clearly taking it easy on her, trying to appear as though he was doing his best, but obviously holding back. 

He looked so happy. 

“Okay, Tohru you better give it all you got!” Kyou said as he prepared himself to launch. “Try and beat this!”

Kyou launched himself forward. His cat like reflexes were noticeable in his ability to land with ease, bending his knees into the sand and sticking the landing with the grace of a gymnast. 

Tohru was genuinely impressed. The athleticism was apparent, even if what they were doing was childish and silly. 

“Okay, Kyou,” She shouted, “Get ready to lose!”

Tohru noticed the expression on Kyou’s face when she made the statement. He seemed pleased with her boldness and her ability to be playful with him. She was even surprised at some of the things that would slip out of her mouth around him. It was a if she could truly be herself in his presence. 

“Yeah whatever you say, just try not to kill yourself, alright?” Kyou responded jokingly, but slightly concerned with the height she had reached. 

“Here goes!” She shouted as she used all her force to launch her body forward, not preparing herself for a proper landing. 

“Tohru!!” Kyou shouted as he dove to cushion her landing, barely filling the space between her and the ground. 

For a few seconds, Tohru glanced down and was able to enjoy the feeling of her body against his, noticing how easily she sank into his chest and melted into his arms- admiring the strength of his trained body.

After disappearing in a cloud of orange smoke, Tohru panicked as she felt her body crushing Kyou’s petite body in his cat form, wishing she could relive the moments before his transformation over and over again. 

“I’m…I'm so sorry, Kyou!” Tohru pleaded after popping up in a panic, completely embarrassed for the awful display of clumsiness. “Are you alright?!”

Kyou laughed. “I'm fine, dummy.” 

“You’re sure?! I could have crushed you!” Tohru continued to panic. 

“But you didn't.” Kyou continued to laugh. He stood up on all fours and walked over to Tohru, resting his head on her thigh as he spoke. “All that matters is you’re okay.” 

Tohru’s stomach fluttered. Goosebumps covered her body as she felt Kyou’s soft fur against her bare skin. Even in his animal form, Kyou had the ability to make her feel this way, like electric waves were pulsing through her veins. 

Tohru reached down to scratch the bottom of his chin. He purred as she made her way around his neck and onto his head, enjoying her intimate touch. 

“Miss Honda? Is that you?” A voice echoed from across the playground. 

Tohru and Kyou exchanged a quick glance, both surprised to see Yuki standing a few feet away from them. 

“Just great…” Kyou moaned

To be continued…


	19. "It'll Be Our Secret."

“Yuki!” Tohru squealed nervously, sounding surprised to see him. 

Kyou’s blood began to boil as Yuki approached the swing set. 

“What are you doing here?" She asked. 

“I went to walk you home from work, but was informed by your co-workers that you had left early.” Yuki cleared up. “I heard your voice as I passed by.”

“Oh, that was very kind of you!” Tohru replied cheerfully. “Sorry, I probably should have called you to let you know I got out early.”

Yuki look genuinely concerned. “Are you feeling alright? You're not feeling sick are…?”

“JUST GO HOME ALREADY!” Kyou interrupted angrily. 

Kyou was feeling incredibly annoyed. That rat always had to ruin everything and tonight was no exception. 

“I'll walk Tohru home! I mean…to wave girl’s place.” Kyou grumbled, forgetting that Tohru wasn't coming to Shigure’s.

That thought made Kyou’s heart ache again. All of the fun they were having must have distracted him from reality. 

“Fine.” Yuki responded, “Ms.Honda, please be safe tonight and don't let this stupid cat do anything..disrespectful.”

Kyou felt heat filling his ears and steam exuding from his notrils. As much as he tried to hide his hate for Yuki around Tohru, Yuki made it incredibly difficult with his smart-ass comments. The anger he felt for Yuki was erupting out of him. 

“Disrespectful?! Why the hell would you say that you bastard?!” Kyou’s anger was increasing as Yuki continued to speak. 

“Ms.Honda,” Yuki smiled warmly at Tohru, ignoring Kyou's rage, “Have a wonderful night and I'll see you in class tomorrow.”

“That damn Yuki. I swear, he’s always trying to get me worked up!” Kyou vented as he felt his anger slowly disappear in Yuki’s absence.

Tohru giggled at the two. 

“You know,” She said, “you and Yuki seem to get along better than you use to.” 

“What? Are you crazy?! I hate the guys guts!” Kyou tried to convince her. 

“I don't know..” Tohru teased, “You two don't seem to fight as much as you did when I first met you, at least not with your fists.” 

Kyou thought about what she said. Now that he really thought about it, she was right. Kyou hadn’t tried to initiate a physical fight in a long time. Why was that?

“We’re never going to be best friends so you might as well give up on that dream, okay?” Kyou urged. 

“I understand, Kyou. Besides, I’d never want to pressure you into anything you weren't ready for.” Tohru assured him. 

A burst of orange smoke revealed Kyou back to his human form. 

Tohru reacted in her usual modest way, immediately averting her eyes and handing Kyou his clothes.

“Sorry.” Kyou said. “I always feel bad when that happens.” 

“Oh no! It's okay! I mean…it's not like I don't want to see….I mean I’m not trying to say there's anything wrong with your body…I'm sure it looks very nice! I mean…but I would never want to be so rude as to look when it's not ladylike!” Tohru babbled, nervously trying to explain herself. 

Kyou thought it was so adorable seeing her so flustered like this. He felt a flutter in his stomach seeing how bashful she was about the subject. 

“Calm down…geeze.” Kyou laughed. “Come on, let's get going before it gets too late. ” 

Tohru and Kyou headed in the direction of Saki’s house. The walk was quiet, both sulking in their own mixture of embarrassment and longing.  
Kyou mostly thought about the moment him and Tohru just shared at the park. 

He kept thinking about her falling on top of him and for that split second he was able to enjoy the weight of her against him, her arms around him, being able to hold her.

The look in Tohru’s eyes was seared into Kyou’s memory. He had seen that look in her eyes before. 

Kyou could only imagine that it was the same look that he gave back to her. 

The look of desire. Longing 

He wondered if it was as obvious to Tohru as it was to him. 

“Well, this is it.” Tohru said, interrupting Kyou’s pleasant thoughts. 

Kyou realized he was so lost in his own thoughts that he hardly said a word to her the whole walk. 

“Oh…sorry.” Kyou said, bashfully. “I guess I just got stuck in my head again.” 

Tohru chuckled.”Don't be silly. Besides, I'm happy that you're comfortable enough to be able to space out around me.” 

Kyou blushed. He knew she was just repeating words he had already said to her. He couldn't help but smile at her attempt to mess with him. 

“Okay, copycat.” Kyou joked as he bopped her on the head playfully. 

Tohru giggled even harder. Kyou always loved that she understood his sense of humor. It made being around her that much more comfortable and fun. 

There was a long pause between them. Not an awkward silence, but a void that they both knew needed to be filled, they just didn't know how. 

“Tohru?” Kyou asked finally, trying to keep his voice down so that her friends couldn't hear him. 

“Yes?” Tohru responded.

“Can I…. hug you goodnight?” Kyou asked as the nerves made his voice squeaky. He could feel sweat begin to build at the nape of his neck. 

Tohru was genuinely surprised by his request. He had never asked to hug her before. The only time he did intentionally was after she accepted his true form,...but those were entirely different circumstances.

“Of course.” Tohru replied, clearly delighted by his question. “But... are you sure? I don't want you to have to walk back as…”

Before Tohru could finish her sentence, Kyou allowed the anticipation of their embrace to distract him from Tohru’s question.

Kyou leaped forward, feeling his arms contour to the curves of her body, placing one hand firmly on the small of her back and one guiding her head gently into his chest. He felt himself drowning in the depths of her beautiful brown hair. 

In that split second before transforming, Kyou attempted to take it all in. The softness of her hair, the feeling of her delicate body against his, feeling her heart beating so close to his own. Allowing the warmth of her touch to consume him. Breathing in her scent. 

It always ended too quickly. 

Kyou felt his body plopping on the ground in a mountain of his own clothes, preparing to untangle himself in the mess. 

This time, however, it was different. 

After transforming, Kyou immediately felt the touch of two petite hands wrapping around his midsection and lifting him off the ground. 

Tohru was now holding him in her arms and playfully petting his head like he was her household pet. 

“You really don't hold back anymore do you?” Kyou grumbled sarcastically, but of course secretly liking the fact that he was being handled this way by Tohru, even if it was just his cat form. 

“You love it.” Tohru teased, “I can always tell when you purr like this.”

“It's not exactly something I can control…” Kyou blushed heavily, hoping Tohru wouldn't notice. 

Tohru grinned. “It’ll be our secret. “ She winked as she moved her face closer to Kyou’s.

Kyou could die from embarrassment, but he had to admit that being so close to her without worrying about transforming was so freeing. At least in that state he was able to fully enjoy her embrace and could breath in the moment.  
Tohru stood there for several minutes holding Kyou in her arms. He didn't want the embrace to end. In fact, he could spend forever in her arms, even if it meant being stuck in this form. 

“I'm sorry, Kyou, but I should really get inside and study.” Tohru said, the disappointment obvious in her voice. 

Kyou’s heart sank yet again. He knew these moments were never meant to last forever, but the sting of her release was always difficult. 

He would give anything to spend the night with her. Just like this. 

“Oh…yeah..I mean.. no problem.” Kyou replied. He dug his head deeper against her chin. Tohru responded by pressing harder against the top of his head. 

It was true that Tohru was getting way more comfortable handling Kyou in his cat form, but it was also true that it was easier for Kyou to let her be so intimate with him. 

Kyou felt Tohru’s soft lips against the top of his head, in the space between his ears. The vibrations of his purring increased.

“Are you sure you'll be okay walking home like this?” Tohru asked. 

Kyou laughed. “Tohru…I study Martial Arts…I think I'll be just fine.” 

Tohru giggled. “A cat doing Karate. Now I've gotta see that someday.” 

Tohru placed Kyou on the ground next to his clothes. She helped him place the clothing into the gym bag that he was carrying with him. 

“Well…goodnight, Kyou.” Tohru said as she leaned down to plant one final kiss on Kyou’s furry forehead. 

“Goodnight, Tohru.” Kyou responded, wishing he could say and do so much more. 

“Oh and Tohru…remember I owe you dinner now.” Kyou reminded her before walking away. "You beat me fair and square."

Tohru grinned brightly as she stood up, ready to walk up to Saki’s front door. “ I can't wait!”

Tohru disappeared into Saki’s house as Kyou made his way back to Shigure’s. 

It was funny. He no longer felt like calling Shigure’s house his home. It wasn't home. Home was when he was with Tohru and Tohru was no longer there. That thought made him feel lost.

Is this what imprisonment will feel like? Empty? Dark?  
Alone. 

Kyou shook away the dark thoughts.

That's not important right now. 

No. What's truly important right now is being with Tohru and enjoying every last moment he can with her. 

It's time to plan. Plan for what's ahead. Plan for what he needs to do this weekend. What he needs to finally say to her. 

To be continued.


	20. "Not Again"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the long delay in chapters. A lot has happened since I last updated. I applied to Graduate School... my husband and I had COVID and then my son had COVID... so we were in quarantine for about an entire month. We've thankfully recovered and are in good health. My husband also got a new job so that's been another new adjustment. I will do my best to keep up with future chapters from now on. Great to be back!

"Sooo..how did your little chat go with carrots? Arisa asked with a slight grin on her face.

"Oh...Uo-chan..."Tohru mumbled as she walked into Saki's home. "I'm so sorry I'm late.... it's kind of a long story... see I was having a bad day at work and my coworkers let me leave early... then I ran into Momiji... then he apologized... and then he kissed me and then....

"WOAH, HOLD UP NOW! HE KISSED YOU?!" 

Yes! But don't worry it's not like I mean...I don't...I love..." before Tohru could finish her sentence tears started to well up in her eyes. 

"Stop right there... come here." Arisa says as she pulls Tohru into a loving embrace. 

"What's all of the commotion?" Saki asks as she makes her way downstairs and approaches the foyer where Tohru is still standing. 

"Come on, upstairs young lady. It's time you tell us what's really going on between you and carrots." Arisa demanded. 

Tohru wiped the tears from her eyes. She knew it was time. She had kept her feelings bottled away for so long that she had to confess to someone. Keeping them contained for so long made her feel like she might explode. 

"Okay." She cooperated and made her way up the stairs to Saki's bedroom.

Tohru found a lot of comfort being in Hana-chan's room. It was draped it beautiful black fabrics and usually always lit by candle light. It was dark and gloomy to most, but the glow of the candles was cozy and the fabrics made Tohru feel protected, like a warm blanket. 

"We made you some tea." Saki said, as she poured Tohru a nice warm cup. 

"Thank you guys." Tohru said, clearly touched by her friend's thoughtfulness. 

"We really just want to be here for you, Tohru." Arisa said. "Now please... spill.."

Tohru took a deep breath... she knew this wasn't going to be easy. She also knew she had to be careful with what she told them, especially in regards to the family's secret. 

How was she going to explain Kyou being taken away from her after graduation? There's no way she could tell them the truth...

"I'm..."Tohru hesitated

She looked down at the cup of tea in her hands. Tears welling up uncontrollably in her eyes. Severally seconds passed as she tried controlling the steady stream of tears falling down her cheeks

"I'm in love with Kyou." Tohru finally admitted, now looking directly at both her friends. 

"But after graduation he'll be taken away from me and there's nothing I can do about it!" Tohru cried, the steady stream of tears falling even heavier. 

After finally uttering that last sentence out loud, Tohru felt an odd sense of relief, as if talking to another outsider about her pain was someone therapeutic on it's own. 

"What?! Taken away??" Arisa appeared confused, "What do you mean taken away?" 

Tohru knew that she had spoken too soon. She didn't actually come up with a plan as to where Kyou was going to go after graduation and of course she couldn't tell them the truth.

She sat there in silence for a few moments. 

"Kyou’s Master, Kazuma, wants Kyou to take a sabbatical from the dojo and to travel throughout Japan to meet Martial Artists from other dojos." Tohru but her tongue as she lied.

Was that believable?

"Oh... wow..."Arisa paused. 

"Sounds like an incredible opportunity for him. I can see why our sweet Tohru is so incredibly torn up inside. "Saki said. 

"You do?" Tohru asked, surprised that Saki didn't detect her lie using her waves. 

"Yeah... you're torn because you know it's an amazing opportunity for him because he loves Martial arts, but you also want to be with him. That's so like you." Arisa smiled. 

"Truly a Saint." Saki added. 

Tohru was beginning to feel guilty for getting praise over a made up scenario.

"But Tohru... why don't you just tell him how you feel? At least you two could be together while he's still here, right?" Arisa asked

Tohru felt a familiar split down the center of her heart and a lump in her throat that felt like someone had forced a bunch of rocks down her throats. The sting of tears came back into the corners of her eyes. 

This time she was sobbing uncontrollably. 

Tohru tilted her head forward into her lap, completely collapsed into herself. 

"I can't she said...I can't go through this pain again..."

"Not again..."

Arisa and Saki looked at each other. They knew immediately that they had underestimated Tohru and Kyou's relationship this entire time. This wasn't just a high-school romance anymore... these two really were falling for each other. 

"Tohru please," Saki tried to comfort Tohru as she rubbed her back. "We are here. We know that this isn't easy. We see that now."

"Tohru," Arisa also tried her best to comfort Tohru," i know that since you're mom died, you've been so brave and strong, but we see the way Kyou looks at you and acts when he's with you."

"Love is scary as hell and I won't sugar coat it for you, but it is damn worth fighting for!" Arisa added.  
"And Kyou is.. well he's in love with, Tohru."

"I'm just so scared of losing him. Of feeling that way.. again. Like when I lost.. mom. " Tohru cried, but the sobs were now more coherent. 

"Love will always be that way, Tohru. That's the sad reality in regards to unconditional love. When you have something so precious and dear to you, than you have the most to lose. Just like the thought of losing either of you two brings my heart so much pain and agony, I can't even bear the thought. " Saki says as she pulls Tohru in close. 

"Okay, enough with the dramatics. " Arisa pulls them both into her as she rolls her eyes playfully. 

"I love you two so much. " Tohru beams, as the final drops of tears make their way down her cheeks. 

Arisa lovingly wipes them away. 

"We love you too, Tohru" Arisa responds. "And don't you ever forget that."

As the night went on, Tohru fell asleep on her friend's bed. Arisa and Saki stayed awake chatting about what had just transpired. 

"Tohru was lying about Kyou's sabbatical." Saki said. 

"What?! Tohru?! Lie?!" Arisa sounded genuinely surprised. 

"Yes, I know.. it is very unlike her. Like I said I am very capable of picking up deceitful waves. She's been doing it a lot lately, but I always assume it's for the right reasons. I think there's a lot to this family that we shouldn't know about, for Tohru’s sake. She's obviously hiding their secrets to protect them." Saki stated 

"Should we be worried about this? I mean it's starting to sound pretty serious now? What do you think is really going on?" Arisa asked completely confused. 

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think we owe it to Tohru to trust her judgement. She obviously trusts this family enough to live with them and they trust her enough to keep their secrets hidden. I say that if we pried, it would only place Tohru’s life in further jeopardy." Saki responded.

"Damn it...I hate when you're right. Man... this could have gotten good too..." Arisa whined. "Now what about carrots... should we tell her he's coming this weekend?"

"No, I think we need to let these figure out their feelings on their own. The best we can do is put them in a situation where they can finally be alone, but it wouldn't hurt to help nudge him in the right direction as far as romance is concerned." Saki grinned. 

"Oh yeah, time to conspire! Arisa cheered

To be continued


	21. "I Can't Wait"

"Tohru" 

"Tohru... you're worrying too much again..." 

"When will you ever give yourself a break? You're too hard on yourself, kiddo!" 

Tohru rubbed her eyes in disbelief. She knew she was dreaming, but this time it was as if her mother was really there this time. 

"Mom! Mom, please! I'm... don't go..."Tohru pleaded 

As the haziness of her dream continued to shift her mother's spirit away from her, Tohru began to panic. 

"MOM, PLEASE!" 

Tohru could feel the warmth of a hand comforting her, brushing through her long brown hair. 

"Tohru... just be you. Do what makes you happy." 

"But mom... it's.. much more complicated than that.." 

"Wake up!" Arisa shouted 

"Huh?"Tohru asked as she rubbed her eyes, looking thoroughly confused. 

"Arisa, you could really be more gentle with our delicate Tohru in the morning. She was clearly having a bad dream." Saki scolded. 

"Sorry," Arisa apologized, " but I'm just so damn excited! Tonight's the big night! The start of our girls weekend! I am so psyched Tohru! We're gonna have so much fun! There's gonna be all the junk food we can eat until we hurl, trash talking those Sohma boys, and movie after movie! Not to mention the hot tub! Ugh it's gonna be a blast!" 

"That all sounds so amazing!"Tohru giggled at Arisa's childlike excitement. 

"Yes, it's going to be the ultimate girl's weekend." Saki added. 

"Tohru..."Arisa interrupted. 

"Mm.. yes?"Tohru mumbled 

"I don't mean to sounds like a downer right now.. but have you thought about... what you're going to do about... carrots?" Arisa asked hesitantly. 

Tohru paused for several seconds, thinking carefully about what she was about to say next. 

"You know it's funny, I had a dream about mom. I was asking her for advice on what I should do.. sounds silly huh?" Tohru said. 

"No, it's not!" Arisa and Saki said in unison. 

"No, it really is. Mom wouldn't want this for me. She wouldn't have wanted me to have held on to her for so long.... You see... the real reason I've... hesitated to admit my feelings for Kyou is because of the guilt..." 

Tohru had to clear her throat in order to prevent the tears from welling up. She wanted to stay strong and not break down like she usually did. 

"The guilt of replacing her... with Kyou." Tohru was finally able to say the words. The words that were so difficult to say after all this time. 

"Oh Tohru.." Saki sighed, as she grabbed her friend's hand, "you really are too precious for words." 

"You can say that again...Tohru... look... Kyoko would never think that you were replacing her with carrots. That's crazy! She'd be crazy happy you found someone that made you happy!" Arisa comforted her as she embraced Tohru 

"But...I promised...I always said that mom would be the most important thing to me... always..." Tohru whimpered 

"Tohru... you're mother doesn't want you to live your life in the shadows of the past. She wants you to live in the light of the future... and that future should be with someone that makes you happy...Kyou." Saki added

Tohru smiled to herself. "Mom would love Kyou. I'm sure of it."

"Man... that was deep Hana...." Arisa admired. "Now let's get this crappy school day over with so the real fun can begin!" 

"Yes, the nightwear soiree!" Saki added 

"Tohru are you excited?" Arisa asked 

"Yes!" Tohru responded, trying to wipe away the tears as best as she could. 

"Good because we have the best surprise for you!" Arisa teased 

"A surprise?! Really?! Aww guys... that's so kind... but why?! You didn't have to do that!" Tohru sounded touched, but also flustered at the idea of the girls inconveniencing themselves for her. 

"Tohru.. please we want to do it! You've had a rough couple of weeks so it's our way of... helping you out." Arisa tried to play it cool. 

"It's our way of showing our gratitude for your everlasting friendship." Saki said. 

"If you're sure... well then... at least let me make dinner for you guys..." 

"DONE!" Saki and Arisa both said in unison. 

"Great!" Tohru responded cheerfully. "I'll just run by the store after class and meet you guys back here before we leave. I'm so excited!" 

"Ladies... get ready for some fun!" Arisa squealed as she pulled both her friends in close. 

Class went by as it normally did. Tohru was of course delighted to see Kyou, but excited about her girls weekend and trying figure out what to cook for their meals. 

As excited as she was to spend the weekend with girls, she of course couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to spend the weekend with Kyou. Those thoughts made her blush and feel guilty for being so selfish. As her mind drifted, she imagined making dinner for him and sharing a romantic meal together. The idea of them being completely alone together excited her.

"Tohru?" Kyou said as he waved his hand in front of Tohru’s face. "Hello.. you there?" 

"Oh... oh gosh!" Tohru panicked. "How long was I spacing out!" 

Kyou laughed "Calm down space cadet.. class just ended." 

Kyou knelt down to reach Tohru’s eye level. She noticed that everyone else in the classroom had already left. His eyes looked at her in such a warm way. 

"You.. waited for me?" Tohru asked 

"Well.. yeah.." Kyou blushed. 

Tohru blushed back. 

"That's very sweet of you." Tohru said as she gave Kyou a warm smile back. 

"Well.. come on." Kyou said, as he grabbed Tohru's hand. "I'll walk you to Goth girl's house." 

"Actually...Kyou... I'm going to the store first. We're actually going to Hana-chan's cabin this weekend and I said I would cook all our meals. So I'm just running to the store real quick before we head over there. " Tohru said, feeling a little guilty for being away from the Sohma house for this long. 

"Oh..." Kyou hesitated. 

Kyou knew about the weekend trip and that he was to show up as a surprise, but it was so hard to lie to Tohru. The guilt of lying to her face was weighing on him even though his intentions were well meaning. Was this a bad idea? Was him showing up going to overwhelm her? Was she not ready?

"Can I come with you?... To the store I mean!" Kyou was acting nervous now. He knew he had to get it together. He didn't want Tohru to think something was wrong. 

Tohru's eyes lit up. 

"I'd love that!" Tohru responded gleefully 

Kyou breathed a sigh of relief. He could tell she genuinely meant that. 

"Okay." He smiled back. "I'd love to help." 

No. He thought. It's not a mistake. I need to come this weekend. I need to do this. This is my one chance. The perfect time for us to be together. For me to tell her how I feel. For me to tell her... everything. 

A sudden feeling of guilt and dread began to build in the pit of Kyou's stomach. He knew what revealing everything to Tohru meant and how much he stood to lose. 

Kyou shook off the feeling. 

Be brave.

"And Tohru" 

"Yes Kyou?" 

"I still owe you that dinner remember?" Kyou reminded her playfully 

Tohru blushed and looked at Kyou fondly. "I can't wait!" 

To be continued...


	22. "This Place is Like a Dream"

As the car approached the rustic cabin in the woods, Tohru could not help but stare at it in complete admiration. 

It was small, but very charming. Like something Tohru had imagined out of a fairytale. 

The fall colors provided a breathtaking backdrop that contrasted beautifully with the cedar siding. Attached to the cabin was a wrap around porch that overlooked the lake. 

'How beautiful' She thought. 

"You can see the sunset right over the lake. You might say this is the perfect spot for lovers." Saki pointed to a cedar swing placed in the right spot overlooking the lake. 

"Oh.." Tohru blushed. "This place is like a dream." 

She couldn't help but think of Kyou in that moment. Thinking about how romantic it would be to have Kyou there with her. How she felt like a part of her was always missing when he wasn't around. Thinking about sitting there with him.. with a nice cozy blanket and watching the beautiful sunset while holding his hand... thinking about... 

"Tohru?!" Arisa shouted. 

"Um... yes! I'm sorry! What?!" Tohru asked, completely embarrassed that she had spaced out again. 

"You were daydreaming about carrots weren't you?" Arisa smirked. 

Tohru blushed. Even though her friends knew her true feelings it was still so hard for her to talk about it with them. 

"I'm screwing with ya. Look... don't worry. Just try and relax and have fun! Space out and daydream about carrots all you want! I was just asking if you needed help with your bags?" Arisa teased 

"Yes, Tohru this is your time to relax and rejuvenate. We are here to serve." Saki smiled. 

"Oh.. you guys, don't be silly! I'm just glad we're all here together! I'm really so excited!" Tohru beamed warmly. 

"Good" Arisa said. 

"Let me give you the grand tour." Saki said. 

"We'll be waiting inside. You girls go have fun exploring." Saki's mother urged. 

Saki began by showing Arisa and Tohru the grounds. On the porch, there was also a small fire pit surrounded by chairs and a hot tub. The grounds were quite large and led to many walking trails around the lake.

"The night is upon us, let us reprieve indoors for warmth and shelter." Saki stated. 

"Yeah and not to mention that I'm freaking starving!" Arisa whined. 

"Oh yes! I'll get started on dinner right away!" Tohru added gleefully as she made her way to the kitchen. 

"Wow, she sure doesn't need help finding the kitchen does she?" Arisa laughed. 

"Let us help you, Tohru." 

"Oh, you guys really don't have to!" Tohru objected. 

"Nonsense! It'll give us some time to talk crap about the Sohmas and do some hard core gossiping." Arisa said excitedly. 

"Yes, the Sohma's really are a mystery. I have been quite intrigued by their waves since our initial encounter with them." Saki added. 

Tohru bit her lip. She knew they were trekking through dangerous territory. 

"Okay girls, we're leaving you to it! Now all we ask is that you tidy up before you leave, otherwise have fun!" Saki's mother smiled warmly as her and her husband made their way out the door. 

"Goodbye mother, father. Drive safe." Saki replied. 

"See ya and thanks again for letting us crash here!" Arisa beamed 

Tohru stood in silence. Completely frozen by the shock of seeing Hana-chan's parents leaving the property. 

"Wait... they're... leaving?!" Tohru panicked 

"Yes. Sorry, did we forget to mention that minor detail?" Saki sounded sincere. 

"Our bad, Tohru....I guess we completely forgot to fill you in on that part..." Arisa said as she rubbed the back of her head. 

Tohru was clearly panicking. The idea of being out in the middle of nowhere was terrifying at first, but she had found comfort in knowing that two older adults were going to be present. 

Now they were gone.... 

"Um...Hana-chan... can I see where it is that we are going to be sleeping?" Tohru asked. Tohru thought she may find comfort in knowing where they were sleeping for the weekend. 

"Of course" Saki responded. 

Saki proceeded to take the girls down a long hallway. 

There were two options. One room had a large king bed which appeared to be for Saki’s parents. The next room consisted of two standard size beds, which appeared to be for Saki and her brother, Megumi. 

"We can sleep in this room. Two of us can easily fit on one bed and one can have the other bed all to themselves." Saki said 

"Our sweet princess can have the bed to herself." Arisa said as she hugged Tohru lovingly. "Besides, you need the R&R more than anyone right now." 

Tohru cringed at the idea of sleeping alone in the dark cabin. She hated the idea, but she didn't want the girls to worry about her. 

"You sure okay with it?" Arisa asked. 

"Yes! Of course" Tohru fibbed. "That's very kind of you to do that for me." 

She didn't want to fight them on anything right now. They had already been worrying about her enough as it is. She could put up with a few nights of fear.... 

"Splendid!" Saki replied. "Now let us continue our pleasant conservation in the kitchen about the Sohma's discrepancies." 

"You're enjoying this just as much as me aren't you, Hanajima? Arisa grinned 

"Indeed, I am." Saki replied 

"Discrepancies?" Tohru asked. " Like what exactly?" 

Tohru immediately regretted asking. 

"Like little blondy kissing you for one! What the hell was that about! Doesn't he realize that Kyou likes you! And they're supposed to be family?! Sounds pretty messed up to me!" Arisa blurted out. 

Tohru blushed. She didn't know quite what to say at first. 

"And that Kagura chick? She better back off... if she knows what's good for her.. I mean. Kyou clearly has no interest..." 

"Arisa..." Saki interrupted by placing her hand gently on her friend's forearm. As Arisa looked up, she noticed Tohru wiping away a few tears from her face. 

"Oh God! Tohru! I'm so sorry! Me and my big stupid mouth! I didn't mean to..." Arisa tried to get out before Tohru interrupted her. 

"No, no... it's not that." Tohru smiled as she chopped veggies for dinner. " I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because... well because I'm happy...I know... weird right?" 

Tohru giggled and wiped the remaining tears off her face. 

"Kyou was right." She laughed. "I really am a crybaby. But I'm just so happy that you guys are so worried about me... that you guys care so much... to even notice those things. Of course those things bothered me at a certain point, but to be honest... they don't anymore.... the kiss with Momiji meant nothing... the kiss that I saw between Kagura and Kyou meant nothing. What means something now is that you cared enough to check up on me.. even now after this much time has passed... and how protective you are... so thank you...Uo-chan and Hana-chan. Thank you so much." 

Saki and Arisa could do nothing but absorb the warmth that was exuding off of their incredible friend. She really was a treasure to them. Precious. 

"So you're saying I can't kick Kagura’s ass?" Arisa teased 

"What?! No!" Tohru responded, completely flustered and obtuse to the joke. 

"Kidding... kidding." Arisa laughed. "Man Tohru, you need to learn how to take a joke." 

"I could shake her up a little with my waves." Saki added. 

"Oddly enough, I'm not entirely sure if you're kidding right now." Arisa replied. 

Tohru giggled. 

Suddenly, a bright flash of lightning filled the kitchen, followed by a loud, thunderous roar. 

Tohru jumped and squealed. She was not expecting a storm this weekend. 

"Oh my, looks like we're in for quite the storm." Saki observed. 

"Yep... looks like it. That's alright. We've got plenty of fun planned for the night ahead!" Arisa beamed. 

"Yes!...."Tohru replied, trying to stay positive 

Tohru's nerves were getting the best of her. The storm was making her feel uneasy. As much as she wanted to enjoy the night with her friends, she knew this was going to be a long night... 

To be continued...


	23. "There's Been a Change of Plans"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Sorry, I accidentally posted chapter 22 twice. I was up late last night with my son and didn't realize I did that. My bad! So as a special treat, I'm posting Chapter 23 earlier than expected! Enjoy!

Kyou sat at his desk trying to focus on the last bit of homework he had for the weekend. 

It was all he could do to stay sane and keep his mind off of Tohru.

Calculus came easy to him. All of his schoolwork was an escape. An escape that allowed him to avoid his feelings and the outside world. 

Human emotion terrified him. It intimidated him the most. The risk of getting hurt...being rejected. People were so damn complicated and frightening.

For as long as Kyou could remember, he had always played it off like he didn't need anyone to accept him for who he truly was. That he would be okay on his own. He always used his anger and his sense of humor to protect himself from getting too close to people.

That was all a lie of course. He had been deceiving himself all along. The truth was he desperately wanted to be accepted by another soul in this world. Yearned for it. Someone kind. 

Kazuma was the first person to ever really show him that kind people can exist in this ugly world. That there can be people who accept you without expecting anything in return or wanting something out of it.

Even Tohru's mother gave him a taste of the kindness that he craved. Although she didn't know about his curse, she still saw uglier sides of Kyou like his hatred for Yuki and his the rejection from society and she brought warmness to his heart. Kyou was so young that he never fully appreciated Kyoko's words until he was older, but her sincerity was always evident. 

And Kyoko had given Kyou the greatest gift of all. She had given him Tohru. The most precious person in his life.

Tohru's love was something indescribable, something Kyou had never experienced before. It consumed his entire heart and made him want to be a better man, a better person. It was the type of love he knew that he would never find again no matter how hard he tried. 

That's what frightened Kyou the most. What if things don't work out? What if she gets sick of me? Falls out of love with me? What if I really screw this up? What if she doesn't forgive me about the....

Accident?

Kyou shuttered at the thought

The accident..It was the one thing Kyou had been avoiding this entire time. He knew that it was selfish and cruel. This whole time he had been getting close to her all while knowing the truth about his role in her mother's death. 

Tears welled up in Kyou's eyes and a sharp pain began to spread across his right temple. He was completely disgusted with himself.

No! He thought...I have to face this! I can't keep running away like a coward!

Be a man

He had to confess to Tohru. Kyou knew this was the only way they could move forward. It was the right thing to do...and with the little amount of time they had left together, he knew he could no longer avoid it. 

I just want to be with her for as long as I can...really be with her.

He knew he had to take the chance. The idea of Tohru hating him was heartbreaking, but he couldn't go on lying to her face if their relationship was going to continue to grow stronger. Even if she hated him for what he was about to admit, he already decided that he would never give up on her. Never. 

Kyou stared at the pages of his homework, growing more frustrated knowing that he was done with what little he had left.

Now what?

Kyou grew even more anxious about the weekend and the events that were about to unfold. He knew this was going to be the hardest thing he's ever had to do in his life. 

He thought about facing her. Telling her everything, revealing his true feelings. That was the hard part, but he also imagined the one thing he had been desiring the most this entire time...since the moment she chased after him and saw him in his true form.

Their first kiss. 

He knew it could never be what he truly wanted. The curse prevented him from fully embracing her, preventing him from pulling her in close until their bodies merged and he could lose himself in the endless comfort of her soft brown hair. Holding her for as long as he wanted, never letting her go. 

Just to be able to do that for more than a few seconds would mean the world to Kyou. Enough to make him break down in tears.

But he knew it was just a fantasy. A child's dream. 

He knew the cat's place in the Zodiac. He was to be locked up...for the rest of his days.

As much as he tried to fight it...as much as he tried to grow stronger to beat Yuki and to be accepted into the Zodiac, he knew it was all a wasted effort. He wasn't strong enough. He would't win. The rat always wins. 

Time is running out. 

All Kyou could do now is be with the one he loved. 

He knew being with her might lead to heartache and despair for Tohru, but it was her right to make that decision for herself. 

At least in the end, no matter what happens, I'll know that I gave it my all.

Kyou sat back in his chair as he continued to contemplate his thoughts. He knew there would no turning back after this. 

A sudden feeling of weakness overwhelmed Kyou as he heard the soft patter of rain droplets hit his bedroom window. 

Great...Just what I need. 

The rain picked up quickly and showered the house in heavy sheets of rain. 

Kyou sighed. 

Suddenly, a bolt of lightening lit up Kyou's bedroom followed by a tremendously loud roar of thunder. 

Kyou's eyes grew big.

He was never frightened by thunderstorms. In fact, he would have enjoyed them if they didn't make him feel so exhausted. 

But he knew someone who was terrified of them.

Kyou quickly made his way downstairs to the phone. He dialed quickly and the person on the other line answered almost immediately.

"Hello?" 

"Yeah...Kagura? It's Kyou...I'm sorry it's so late....but there's been a change of plans."

To be continued....


	24. "Um...Why is Kagura Here?"

As Kyou gathered his things, he heard some commotion downstairs. 

She's here. 

"Hi Kyou!" Kagura greeted cheerfully as ever. 

"Um... why is Kagura here?" Shigure asked slyly. 

"None of your damn business." Kyou barked. "Listen... I'm leaving for a few days." 

"Now where are you off to?" Shigure pryed. "As your guardian it's my duty to know your whereabouts at all times." 

Kyou sulked. He knew he couldn't tell Shigure the truth. He'd never hear the end of it. At least Kagura knew where he was going. So even if there was an emergency of any kind she could at least tell them the truth if necessary... 

"I'm going to Kazuma's" Kyou lied. "I can't stand it here anymore. This place is too damn depressing." 

"Ah I see... without our dear maiden around, this place has become quite the dreary bachelor pad." Shigure teased 

"Yeah... whatever." Kyou rolled his eyes. 

"But you have yet to answer my question. Why is Kagura here?" Shigure smirked 

Damnit. I didn't think this through all the way. 

"Kagura is... she's driving me. I'm obviously too weak in this rain... so I called her, okay?" Kyou responded, hoping that was enough. 

"Uh... huh." Shigure replied, sounding unconvinced. 

"You got something to say then just say it dog!" Kyou shouted, annoyed by the obstacle standing in his way. 

"No, no. Go on. I'm not going to keep anyone prisoner." Shigure responded. 

Kyou huffed in frustration as he walked out the door. 

"Oh and Kyou." Shigure added, "Be sure to tell Tohru we miss her dearly." 

Kyou didn't turn around to face him. He didn't want to give Shigure the satisfaction of being right. How did he always know these things? 

Instead, Kyou proceeded to walk down to the street corner where Kagura had parked her parent's car. 

"You sure about this Kyou? We're getting there a whole day early. And it's storming pretty bad. I looked at the radar and it doesn't look like it's slowing down anytime soon." Kagura said as she started the car. 

"I'm sure." Kyou replied. "And thank you for doing this at the last second. I know it was unexpected." 

Kagura smiled. 

"I told you Kyou, I wanted to help make things right." Kagura responded warmly. "How long did you say it would take to get there?" 

"About a hour. Maybe even more in this storm." Kyou replied "Just take your time though." 

"Kyou?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Why are you heading over there a day earlier?" Kagura asked sincerely. 

Kyou was hesitant to respond. 

"I think... Tohru needs me right now." Kyou said bluntly. 

"She needs you?" Kagura asked 

"I don't know...I just had this sinking feeling in my chest. It's late...They're out in the middle of nowhere in the woods, somewhere she's never been before. Goth girl's parent's aren't there and now the storm. I don't know...I just feel like she needs me right. Like this....invisible force is pulling me to her right now and the closer I get the stronger it gets." Kyou blurted out. 

Kyou appeared tense and anxious. Kagura could tell he was incredibly nervous. He kept shifting in his seat as he spoke and pulling his hand through his long red hair. 

"I'm sorry..." He added. "I'm just so nervous... this is a big deal for me. I don't want to screw this up." 

Kagura listened in admiration. God, how she wished Kyou had been talking about her instead of Tohru, but she knew it wasn't meant to be. Kagura had accepted her fate. 

"It's alright Kyou...Listen...I hate to bring it up, but what about Arisa and Saki, do you think they'll be okay with it?" Kagura asked. 

"I really don't know at this point." Kyou admitted." I'm probably being reckless right now but I just can't shake this feeling that I need to be by her side. To be honest with you, that's all I care about right now." 

"Well, let's get you to Tohru then. Safely, of course." Kagura smiled warmly. 

To be continued...


	25. "Goodnight my Sweet Tohru"

"Tohru, dinner was simply divine." Saki stated as she applied the last bit of nail polish to Tohru’s pinky toe. 

"Yeah Tohru, carrots sure better appreciate what an amazing gift you have." Arisa teased. 

"Guys..."Tohru blushed as she dug her head deep into her pillow. 

"Awww Tohru is embarrassed. That's so cute." Arisa giggled. 

"Tohru you shouldn't be shy about it. Your culinary skill is something to be proud of." Saki urged. 

"Yeah and anyone would consider you to be serious wife material just for that trait alone!" Arisa said as she stuffed her face full of junk food. "Man... my stomach hurts..." 

"Maybe it's the 5 pounds of junk food you shoveled into your mouth since our last meal." Saki observed. 

"Are you okay Uo-chan, you don't look so good?" Tohru said, looking concerned. 

"I'm alright! I......" Arisa stopped mid sentence to run to the bathroom. Tohru and Saki could hear her vomiting profusely. 

"Oh my."Saki exclaimed. 

Tohru ran after Arisa, pulling back her hair and rubbing her back. 

"Can I get you some water? Are you feeling ill? What can I do?" Tohru panicked. 

After allowing herself to empty her stomach, Arisa sat up and smiled warmly at Tohru. 

"I'm so sorry, Tohru. I must look so gross right now." Arisa mumbled. 

"No, of course not!" Tohru squealed 

Saki walked into the bathroom with a glass of water. 

"Let's get you to bed." Saki ordered. 

"Right." Tohru agreed. 

"Look you guys, I'm fine!" Arisa tried to play it off, but the paleness of her skin told her friends otherwise. 

"Now young lady." Saki ordered. 

"Dang, Hanajima. I'm digging this motherly side of you." Arisa chuckled, holding onto her two friends for support. 

Tohru and Saki helped Arisa brush her teeth and then got her into bed. Tohru tucked Arisa in and kissed her on the forehead. She immediately passed out.

"Well that was an interesting turn of events." Saki noted. 

"Yeah, no kidding. She must have overdid it with the junk food and crashed." Tohru chuckled. 

As they shared a laugh, a bolt of lightning reminded Tohru that the storm was not over. 

"Tohru? Are you sure you're okay to sleep alone? I can always sleep next to you instead" Saki asked 

Tohru hesitated for a moment. 

"Yes, of course I will be. You need to be with Arisa right now. She's the one who's not feeling well. I'll be fine." Tohru fibbed 

"You're absolutely sure?" Saki asked once more. 

"Yes, absolutely." Tohru reassured her. 

"Okay... well. I bid you a goodnight my sweet Tohru." Saki gave Tohru a big hug and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Get lots of sleep. You have a big day tomorrow." 

"Sweet dreams Hana-chan." Tohru said sweetly. 

Tohru climbed into bed and tucked herself in. 

As Saki turned off the light from the nearby nightstand, Tohru felt her anxiety and fear kick in. 

Tohru was the closest to the window. She watched as the lightning streaked across the sky. It was rather beautiful, but the loud unexpected booms of thunder shook her to her core. 

She never really understood her fear of thunderstorms, but she assumed her fear started when she was living in a tent. She knew she was safe and in the security of the cabin walls, but those days of uncertainty, being forced to face the elements with nothing but a nylon fabric still stuck with her. 

Tohru felt her eyes growing heavy. Her thoughts drifting, but the darkness of the cabin was somehow growing. 

Despite the flashing of the storm, the dark shadows looming throughout the cabin made her feel uneasy. 

Were those booms she was hearing thunder? Is it truly safe out here? Were they animals? Or something else? Or someone else?

Tohru’s imagination was starting to get out of hand. 

Calm down... you're just freaking yourself out. We're safe here. 

The heaviness of her eyelids grew more intense as Tohru's thoughts continued to wander. 

She tried to think of happy thoughts as she watched the storm dancing across the window. 

How much time had passed since she had talked to Saki? 

She didn't know. 

Happy thoughts. Think happy thoughts. 

What made her the happiest? 

Well... that was easy...

Kyou

Tohru felt her eyelids begin to close as her mind drifted into a slide show of wonderful memories that Kyou and Tohru has shared since their first initial encounter. 

Tohru loved dissenting every second they've ever shared together, noting all his awkward mannerisms and silly quirks. Most importantly, she loved remembering all of the kind and thoughtful things that he's said and done for her, but in his own special Kyou kind of way. 

Tohru felt herself drifting off to sleep. The storm fading in the background. 

Suddenly, Tohru felt a familiar touch resting on top of her blanket just above her waist. It was so warm and comforting that it didn't frighten her. The smell that she had been so accustomed to for years began to fill her nostrils. At first, she thought it was just a dream, but the feeling of hot air against her neck sent a warm tingle down her spine. 

"K..Kyou?" She said as she opened her eyes and turned her body slightly over. 

A response wasn't necessary. Just inches away from her was the most gorgeous sight that Tohru could ever ask for. 

It was Kyou. He was soaked to the bone and clearly freezing. Tohru had no idea how or why he was there, but he was obviously completely exhausted and had passed out next to her on her bed. 

She couldn't believe it! Kyou was laying next to her, in such a remote location. But how?! why?! 

That didn't matter right now. What mattered was that Kyou was soaking wet and shivering and he needed to get under the covers. 

What should she do?? She couldn't lay right up against him because then he might change into a cat. The girls can't see that... 

The girls! How is she gonna explain this to the girls!?

Tohru began to panic. She quietly snuck to the bathroom, careful as to not wake her friends. She grabbed a few fluffy white towels and tiptoed back to the bedroom as stealthily as she could. 

When she made her way back to her bed, she could not help but smile warmly at the sight of Kyou. He must have grabbed onto her pillow thinking it was her by mistake. He had the sweetest, most content look on his face. Kyou looked the most at peace when he slept. 

Tohru could tell he was completely exhausted. The rain was obviously the number one culprit, but she also associated it with the fact that he had somehow managed to sneak in here so late at night and had clearly traveled such a far distance. 

But how?! The girls locked the doors. And they were more than a hour away from the Sohma estate. How did he even get here?

Tohru remembered something that Saki said right before bed. 'You have a big day tomorrow.' 

Were they all in on something? Planning something? Uo-chan and Hana-chan were suspiciously asking about Kyou a lot tonight and over the past week. 

Or was she just going crazy and imagining this whole thing? 

Tohru began to thoroughly questioning her consciousness. 

Wake up. You must be dreaming right now. 

Tohru slapped her face lightly and even lightly pinched the skin of her forearm. 

Kyou was still there. Laying there perfectly. 

Tohru found a small opening next to Kyou on the bed and sat beside him. She took her small petite hand and lightly touched his forehead, gently caressing it with the tips of her fingers making her way down the sharp contours of his face until her thumb reached the edge of his lips. 

He really was here. She couldn't believe it. 

Tohru began to pat his face dry with the softness of the the towels, doing her best not to wake him. Next, she focused on lifting his head gently to place a towel underneath his head in hopes that it could help soak up some of the wetness dripping from his hair. She did her best to mop up his long red locks without disturbing him, but it must have been coming down hard while he was outside. 

The biggest concern was his clothes... she really didn't know what to do about that and was too embarrassed to even think about such a thing. 

She had no choice but to wake him up... she couldn't risk him catching a cold by sleeping in those clothes all night. Tohru didn't even know if he had any spare clothing, but it was at least worth finding out. 

"Kyou..." She whispered as she shook him lightly. 

Kyou remained completely unbothered by her words. 

Tohru moved closer, leaning in, ensuring there was enough distance to not accidentally make him transform. 

"Kyou..." She whispered. 

Again, nothing. 

Tohru tried one more time, this time she decided to lean all the way down, speaking directly into Kyou's ear. 

"Kyou..." Tohru whispered again. 

Tohru waited a few seconds for a response, soaking up the opportunity to be so close to him. 

"Yes....Tohru..."Kyou responded, rotating his head slightly, his lips inches away from Tohru's 

To be continued...


	26. "I Thought You'd Be Lonely"

Lost in Kyou’s gaze, Tohru lost her balance. 

As her arms collapsed under her weight, Kyou acted quickly and propped her up to prevent himself from transforming. 

"Woah... easy.." He whispered, as he tucked a long strand of Tohru's hair behind her ear. 

That one simple motion gave Tohru goosebumps. How was he able to have such a dramatic impact on her over such a minor thing? 

"Kyou....how.... why are you..."Tohru tried to get it out. She couldn't help but stare at him. Despite the fact that he was clearly exhausted, him being soaking wet only seemed to make him more attractive to Tohru. 

Kyou hesitated. He also stared at Tohru, which made her nervous. She knew she didn't look her best. Her hair was messy and her pajamas weren't exactly every man's fantasy. 

"I thought you'd be lonely..."Kyou replied. As he said his words, Tohru felt his hand brush against her cheek lovingly and slide down the side of her face. 

Tohru was still very much confused. 

"But Kyou...how'd you know I was...." 

Before Tohru could finish, Kyou cut her off midsentence. 

"Does it matter?" He asked, smiling warmly 

"I... guess not..."Tohru replied. Although she desperately wanted to know the answer. 

"The important thing is that you're not lonely." Kyou said, half asleep as he yawned through the words. 

Tohru smiled. He always knew what she was thinking. He knew she would be terrified tonight. He knew she needed to be comforted. It's like he could read her every thought. 

Tohru suddenly remembered the whole reason why she had woken him up to begin with. 

"Kyou! Your clothes! You need to change or you might catch cold!" 

Tohru looked down at Kyou. He was already out, laying on his side, still on top of the blankets. Tohru went to lay down next to him hoping he could hear her better. 

"Kyou..."Tohru shook him lightly. 

Nothing. 

"Kyou..." 

"Yea?" Kyou muttered, barely audible 

Kyou... your clothes... they're soaked" Tohru reminded him. 

"Oh..."Kyou muffled. 

After a few seconds of inaction, Kyou slowly sat up and removed the soaking wet shirt and threw it to the side of the bed. He then collapsed to the comfort of the bed. 

"All good." He mumbled. "Goodnight, Tohru." 

Kyou barely got his sentence out as he placed his arm around Tohru’s waist. With all of the blankets between them, it thankfully was enough to keep Kyou from transforming. 

Tohru laid there, blushing silently in the dark. She couldn't believe Kyou just did that. She couldn't bring herself to look at his bare chest. Although she had already seen Kyou half naked at the beach, this was different somehow. Much more intimate. 

Tohru shook off her bashful thoughts. She had to get Kyou a blanket. He must be freezing and they needed the barrier to ensure that he wouldn't accidentally transform overnight. 

Tohru slid from underneath Kyou's arm, trying her best not to wake up the girls. 

As Tohru hunted throughout the house as silently as she could, she finally came across some extra blankets. 

When she reached her bed, she took a second to soak up the sight of Kyou laying there. She couldn't help but admire the body that he had been working so hard on. The 3 days of work per week at the dojo were really starting to show. 

Tohru felt ashamed for taking advantage and looking at Kyou like that. She knew that if he wasn't so exhausted, he probably wouldn't have tossed his shirt off so carelessly. She also felt embarrassed to be having these thoughts about a boy. She'd never had them about anyone before. 

Tohru spread the blanket over Kyou and tucked him in gently, ensuring that he was covered up properly. 

As she layed next to him, she noticed the same content smile was still implanted on his face. 

Tohru positioned herself comfortably, making sure she wasn't touching Kyou and ensuring that the barrier of blankets was still between them. 

Before Tohru allowed herself to be fully tucked in, she knelt down toward Kyou's face and gently kissed his forehead. 

"Goodnight Kyou." She said warmly. 

Tohru nestled herself into bed, she realized the storm had been continuing in the background this entire time. 

As her eyes slowly closed, Tohru felt the same familiar warmth and weight of Kyou’s arm wrapping around her waist yet again. It was almost becoming a reflex for him. 

Tohru smiled contently to herself, paying no mind to the storm that once brought her distress. 

To be continued..


	27. "How'd You Know?"

Kyou woke up to the warmth of the sun's rays beaming down on him from the bedroom window.. 

As he opened his eyes, Kyou took a second to take in all of Tohru's natural beauty. She was laying there, so peaceful, so flawless. He wished that he could wake up next to her every morning for the rest of his life. 

Kyou gently caressed Tohru's cheek, ensuring that he didn't wake her. 

As he layed there with Tohru, he suddenly heard a loud snore coming from the other side of the room. 

What the hell?!?! 

Kyou just now realized that Saki and Arisa were sharing the same room with Tohru, a detail they forgot to share with Kyou. 

Damnit.... there's no way in hell they can find me like this... and when did I take my shirt off?!?! 

Kyou had to think fast. Saki and Arisa could wake up any moment. Last night was very hazy to him. He remembered driving with Kagura, her dropping him off, him using his key that Saki gave him to get inside the cabin and then getting into bed with Tohru, but everything after that was very blurry. 

He remembered feeling tremendously weak after collapsing in bed with Tohru and then coming in and out of consciousness after that. He remembered very vague moments with Tohru... moments where they got very close. So close in fact that he remembered feeling the temptation to pull her in and press his lips against hers for the first time. 

Kyou felt guilty for leaving Tohru.

But I can't let them see me here..... they'll kill me for being here so soon and it would also embarrass Tohru. He thought. 

Kyou jumped up. He spotted his shirt that he must have thrown on the floor. He also managed to find the duffel bag of clothes that he brought for the weekend. 

Hell... where do I even go? 

Kyou walked into the hall and spotted the only other bedroom in the cabin. 

That'll have to do.... 

Kyou walked in and slowly closed the door behind him. 

Jesus.. this is embarrassing.... what I am suppose to tell Tohru? How long am I going to be stuck in here?

Kyou hated this. He was being so dumb. So reckless. So childish. He shouldn't have gotten there so early... but Tohru... she needed him... right? Did he screw everything up?

"Tohru!" Arisa shouted as she shook her friend 

Tohru opened her eyes to see Uo-chan staring back at her, looking confused. 

"Is... is something wrong, Uo-chan?" Tohru asked, still half asleep 

"Yeah... just wondering why you have all those towels by you and why they're so damp? And what's with the blanket on the floor?" Arisa asked 

"Huh?" Tohru looked to her left and realized that Kyou was gone. 

Instead of answering, Tohru carefully thought about what happened last night. 

Had she really been dreaming? Sleep walking maybe? Had she missed Kyou that much that she just imagined the whole thing? 

Tohru placed her hand on her head. Scared of looking crazy in front of her friends, Tohru fibbed. 

"Sorry...I wasn't feeling the best this morning so I took a nice warm bath to help feel better." Tohru said 

"Oh no, not you too." Arisa sounded concerned. "Did the junk food get to you too?" 

Saki looked at Tohru skeptically. She could tell she was bending the truth, but could also see the confusion on Tohru's face was genuine. Saki had an idea as to what transpired last night. 

"Ladies, why don't you both go enjoy a hearty breakfast. I will join you in a few minutes" Saki said. 

"Sure, let's go Tohru." Arisa said 

Tohru hesitated. Not sure if she should look for Kyou or if she should pretend like nothing happened. 

"Coming!" Tohru said, trying to play it cool. 

As the girls made their way to the kitchen, Saki opened the door to her parents' room and closed it behind her. 

"Okay Kyou, you can come out now." Saki said sharply. 

After a few seconds of silence, Kyou finally made his way out of the linen closet looking completely mortified. 

"How'd you know?" He asked 

"Lucky guess." Saki smirked. 

To be continued..


	28. "There... Happy Now?"

Kyou stood in silence as he faced Saki 

"Listen goth girl... I'm sorry..." Kyou explained. 

"No need to apologize, Kyou. I can sense exactly why you're here so soon." Saki interrupted. 

Despite her comforting words, Kyou still felt uneasy by the blank look she was giving him. 

"The question is, why did you get up and leave her and now you're hiding in here like a coward?" Saki asked. 

Kyou hesitated. He was embarrassed to admit the answer. 

"I...I didn't want you two to see us like that....I guess.." Kyou mumbled, unable to look at her as he spoke. 

"Well.. that's just something you're going to have to get over if you're going to win over Tohru's affection now isn't it, Kyou? I mean.. we are her best friends after all. Tohru is one of the most important people in our lives." Saki said sharply as she folded her arms

Kyou flinched a little at her words. He felt like a child being scolded by his mother. The thought of showing affection in front of other people really did bother him, especially Arisa and Saki. It was hard to be so open about his feelings. To be that vulnerable to anyone other than Tohru. 

"You're gonna have to get use to us being around, Kyou. We're a package deal." Saki smirked. "If you're serious about Tohru, than you better get use to us being around. "

Kyou hesitated to get his next sentence out. 

"It's not just that...I guess I was worried... that you two would be angry at me for being here so early." Kyou confessed. "You know, for not sticking to the plan. " 

Saki looked at Kyou, intrigued by the change in his wave patterns. 

"Now why would you think we'd be angry about that?" Saki asked. 

Kyou looked annoyed. He turned around so he didn't have to face her as he admitted the embarrassing truth. 

"You're really gonna make me say it huh?" Kyou looked out the window hoping it would make it easier to force it out of him. 

"Yes, I am. " Saki chuckled. 

"Can't you just... you know... read my waves?" Kyou grumbled as he leaned over a nightstand for support. 

"I told you, it doesn't work in that manner." Saki replied. 

"Fine...I........I just want you guys to like me okay? I don't want to screw things up and make you guys hate me... because you are both so important to Tohru." Kyou finally confessed. "And I don't want you to think that I'm taking her away from you two... you know, by ruining your girl time." 

Saki stood in silence, completely shocked by what she just heard come from Kyou's mouth. As she stood there touched by his words, she felt a single tear forming in the corner of her eye. 

Kyou really had come such a long way from the resentful and enraged person that she first met. He really understood Tohru and the relationship that they all shared. 

It's true. Saki was worried about those things. She was worried about losing Tohru to Kyou. Worried he would take Tohru away from her. Also, worried that Kyou would hurt her and break her heart, but also selfishly worried that her friendship with Tohru wouldn't be the same with Kyou around. 

It's funny. It's almost as though Kyou has the ability to read Saki's mind, not the other way around. 

"There... happy now?" Kyou asked. 

As Kyou turned around, he noticed Saki was closer than he remembered, but now she was lunging at him, coming in for what looked like a full embrace. 

She was trying to hug him?!?! 

Kyou had no choice but to brace for the impact. It was too late to resist, she was already too close for him to push her away. 

As Saki wrapped her arms around Kyou, Kyou decided to hug her in return, touched by the sentiment, but also aware that he would have a lot of explaining to do and possibly a hysterical reaction to deal with. 

"Thank you, Kyou" Saki said. "Tohru means the world to me too." 

Kyou felt a warm connection to Saki that he'd never experienced until now. He noticed tears rolling down her face which made him tear up a little in return. 

These girls really do adore Tohru, don't they? 

Before Kyou could think another thought, he lost himself in a cloud of orange smoke. As Kyou fell to the floor, Saki lost her balance and fell next to him landing on the pile of his clothing. 

Saki sat on the floor, eyes growing bigger as she tried to process what just happened. 

"Kyou??" Saki asked, stunned by the absurdity of the moment 

As the smoke cleared, Kyou contemplated how he was to approach the situation without causing a scene. 

He unfortunately knew the answer... anyway he went about this would cause a scene. 

Kyou decided that being direct was all he could do at this point. He had to act fast so that he could get his clothes and get away from Saki before he transformed back into his human form. 

Kyou lept into Saki's lap. Saki jumped, not expecting to see a cat in her parents' cabin. 

"A cat?! How in the world did you get in here?!" Saki shouted, looking to see if the window was open. 

"Shhh...Hanajima... it's me...Kyou..." Kyou whispered. 

Saki's eyes grew even wider than they already had become. 

"Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" Saki screamed 

Oh no... Kyou thought. 

Arisa and Tohru flew into the room. 

"What the hell is...." Arisa began to ask before Tohru interrupted her. 

"Kyou?!" Tohru blurted out

To be continued..


	29. "We Had a Moment"

"Huh? What are you talking about Tohru? Carrots isn't here! And Hanajima why are you on the floor! And where the hell did this cat come from?!" Arisa shouted. 

Tohru gently eased her way around Arisa and brought herself to Saki and Kyou's level. 

"Hana-chan are you alright?" She asked gently, checking to make sure she didn't hit her head as she fell. 

Hanajima didn't say a word. She simply nodded her head to show that she was okay, still in shock over what she just witnessed. 

Tohru didn't say anything to Kyou. Instead she decided to rub his chin as a way of showing him some affection and to make sure he was alright. 

She didn't want to startle Arisa the same way that Saki was impacted by this revelation. 

"Uo-chan, can you help me get Hana-chan on the bed." Tohru asked 

Tohru knew it was time to tell her friends the truth about Kyou. The whole truth. 

"Yeah, no problem." Arisa responded. 

Arisa and Tohru slowly lifted Saki onto the bed. 

"Now, will you tell me why the hell you screamed so loud Hanajima?" Arisa asked. 

"Uo-chan, Hana-chan, I need to tell you both something. Something important." 

Tohru hesitated. She looked at Kyou in his cat form. She looked for any sign that would indicate that he wished for her to stop what she was about to say. Kyou just sat there, staring at her with his big amber eyes. 

Tohru began." It's something that I've been keeping from you both for a very long time, that Kyou and I have been keeping from you. To be more specific, something the Sohma family has been keeping a secret for many generations..." 

Before Tohru could continue, a cloud of orange smoke emerged behind her. 

"Cover your eyes!" Kyou shouted! 

Kyou frantically attempted to grab his clothing as quickly as he could. 

"Ugh! What the hell?!" Arisa shouted 

"Oh my!"Saki stated blankly, still completely baffled by what she was seeing. 

"Did....did that cat.... just turn into... Kyou?" Arisa asked, completely baffled by what she just witnessed. 

Tohru tried to help block Kyou's naked body. 

"Um... yes..." Tohru stuttered. 

"Listen... let me just... get dressed and Tohru and I can explain everything okay?" Kyou said bashfully as he awkwardly stumbled to the bathroom.

"I don't know what's more shocking... seeing Kyou transform into a cat or seeing him in the nude." Saki uttered, a blank stare still on her face. 

"Tohru... what the hell is going on?! What have you been hiding from us?!" Arisa demanded to know the truth, anger apparent in her voice. 

Tohru hung her head in guilt. She knew that her friends would be this upset with her for keeping such a monumental secret.. 

But what was she to do... she promised the Sohma's she'd conceal their secret. 

"I made a promise!" Tohru replied, surprisingly stern. 

"Yes, I know I've been lying to you both this whole time, but keeping this secret was important to the Sohmas. I swore to them that I would do everything that I could to keep it to myself. It was for their safety!" Tohru shouted passionately. 

Tohru felt the passion growing inside her. She hoped that her words would reach her friends and that they would understand her deceit. 

Tohru felt her heart rate slow as the heaviness of a familiar touch rested on her right shoulder. 

"It's okay, Tohru." Kyou assured her as he smiled warmly "I know our secret is safe amongst your friends." 

Arisa and Saki both exchanged glances, genuinely surprised by Kyou’s trust. 

Tohru grabbed Kyou's hand that was resting on her shoulder. It was her way of silently agreeing with him. 

"You two would probably think I was crazy for saying this if you hadn't just witnessed it with your own two eyes... but I'm cursed with the spirit of the Zodiac cat" Kyou began. 

"The cat? Like the old Zodiac folk tale?" Saki asked 

"Yeah..."Kyou answered. "The Sohma family has been cursed for generations with the 12 Zodiac animal spirits... plus the cat." 

"So you... turn into a cat whenever you want?" Arisa asked, sounding confused. 

Tohru couldn't help but chuckle. 

Kyou smirked at Tohru, despite her immaturity, he still thought her laughter was cute. 

"No... not quite... only when we're under a lot of stress.. or when a person of the opposite sex.... hugs us...." Kyou couldn't help but look at Hanajima as he stated the last part of his sentence. 

Arisa and Tohru both looked at Saki in complete shock. 

"You hugged Kyou?!" They both said in unison. 

"We had a moment." Saki stated bluntly, as if hugging Kyou was no big deal. 

"A moment?! What the hell does that mean?!" Arisa shouted 

"It means that Kyou and I have a newfound appreciation and mutual understanding of what we want in life, especially in regards to our precious Tohru." Saki replied. 

Tohru blushed profusely. It was hard for her to find the words to respond to a statement like that. 

Looking satisfied with Saki's response, Arisa contemplated her next question. 

"So wait... does this mean that there are 12 other members that can.... transform in the Sohma family?" Arisa asked. 

Kyou hesitated. 

"Yes...." Kyou responded, 

"Well spill you two! We totally wanna know who's who!" Arisa urged excitedly. 

Kyou sighed. 

"Okay... well get comfortable... this may take awhile." Kyou began. 

To be continued


	30. Who is the Rooster?

Arisa and Saki sat and contemplated their options. The names appeared in their heads almost immediately. This was almost turning into a fun guessing game for the girls. 

"Hatsuharu?" Saki stated. 

"Duh... he's definitely the Ox with that crazy hair of his. Am I right carrots?" Arisa asked

"Uh... yeah..."Kyou responded, sounding surprised

"Momiji?" Arisa guessed 

"Ah yes, the rabbit. Energetic. A small stature. An endearing personality. Describes Momiji perfectly." Saki added. 

"Right again..."Kyou responded... sounding annoyed. "I'm beginning to think you two are screwing with me."

"What can we say, we are just that good!" Arisa teased. 

Suddenly, Saki and Arisa looked at each other, as if the same thought entered their head at the same time. 

"Shigure is the dog isn't he?" The girls asked in perfect unison. 

"Yes and I don't even need to ask how you came to that obvious conclusion." Kyou replied. 

"Yep... the guy is a total pervert.. pretty obvious one. "Arisa laughed. 

Saki glanced at Tohru, remembering the first night her and Arisa stayed at the Sohma's to check on her. 

"A cat and the rat... the way those two would fight." Saki stated blatantly." Yuki is the rat isn't he? That would certainly explain Kyou and Yuki's volatile relationship." 

Kyou caught himself clenching his jaw. In a way this was therapeutic to put it all out there, to finally stop hiding from these these girls, but it was also hard to admit certain truths. 

"Yes, Yuki is the rat." Kyou confirmed. "And yes, the cat and the rat have never gotten along. It's just the way things have always been." 

Things were suddenly making a lot of sense to Saki and Arisa. It would definitely explain why Kyou and Yuki we're oddly at each other's throats all the time. 

"So what's the deal? You guys can't help but hate each other because of the curse? Is that why you have this weird obsession to beat him" Arisa asked. 

Kyou hesitated with his response, remembering that Tohru was still unaware of his inevitable confinement. 

"Um... well... yeah." Kyou bent the truth. He knew he couldn't tell Tohru the truth about his confinement like this. 

Saki picked up on his deceitful waves, but decided to remain silent. 

"So wait... that's only 4 that we've guessed... plus you of course, but you said yourself that you're not an actual member of the Zodiac." Arisa stated 

"There are several members that you haven't met yet or you have only come in contact with briefly." Tohru added. 

Kyou smiled warmly at Tohru as if to thank her for her help. 

"Of course you guys know Kagura.... she is the year of the boar."Kyou said 

"Well things are really starting to make complete sense to me now... but wait...I thought you said if you touch the opposite sex you transform? She was all over you and nothing..." Arisa stopped herself as felt a hard nudge from Saki's elbow. 

Kyou looked over at Tohru to see how she had reacted to Arisa's blunt statement. 

To his surprise, Tohru appeared unbothered by Arisa's words this time. In fact, the statement about Kagura barely seemed to bother Tohru. Kyou wasn't sure how he should interpret that information. 

Kyou brushed off his insecurity for the moment and answered Arisa's question. 

"For whatever reason, Zodiac members have always been free to hug other members of the Zodiac. We have no idea why that is." Kyou replied. 

"Interesting." Saki responded, looking intrigued. 

"So who are we missing then?" Arisa asked. 

"Well.. you guys have seen Hatori... our family's doctor. He's the dragon." Kyou replied. 

"The dragon?!" Arisa shouted with intrigue, "Woah, I would kill to see that!" 

Tohru chuckled 

"It isn't exactly what you'd expect..." Tohru giggled. 

"Whatever do you mean?" Saki asked curiously 

Kyou laughed. "You'd be rather disappointed.... our spirit animals have been... let's just say watered down over the years." 

Arisa and Saki appeared confused but intrigued. 

"Watered down how exactly?" Saki asked 

"A sea dragon... he literally transforms into a sea dragon..." Kyou blurted out. 

"Bahahahahaha! Oh man! Hatori?! Dr. Serious?! Oh man.... that is too good!" Arisa busted out laughing. 

"In all honestly, I'm rather disappointed by this revelation. The dragon was the animal spirit I felt most connected to." Saki responded. 

Kyou was beginning to find the humor in sharing this information with these girls. The more he shared, the easier is was on him. 

"Okay then carrots... then who's missing?" 

"Well... there's Kisa... you guys have probably seen her around the house with Hiro. They are the youngest members of the Zodiac. Anyway...Kisa is the Tiger and Hiro is the Sheep." Kyou continued 

"Oh yeah...I remember seeing those two. They have a cute, puppy love thing going don't they?" Arisa asked 

Kyou appeared annoyed by the question. 

"How should I know?" Kyou barked 

"Geeze... fine... just keep going with the juicy details already." Arisa urged. 

Kyou huffed. This is getting exhausting. He thought. 

"Well the snake is Yuki's brother, Ayame." Kyou continued. 

"Oh, yes the sex shop owner. I remember hearing about him." Arisa said bluntly. 

Kyou blushed. "Yeah that guy... and do you have to say it like that?!" Kyou pleaded, but regretted his request as soon as the words left his mouth. 

"What? That's what it is, isn't it? Maid outfits, nurse uniforms... men fantasy crap." Arisa added. 

"Okay... moving on!" Kyou yelled, annoyed that she enjoyed messing with him about the subject. 

"No, I'm thoroughly enjoying the current topic of conversation. Please continue." Saki added, with a sinister smile. 

Tohru silently died of embarrassment. Although she didn't initially realize what Ayame's shop was intended for, the girls had made her well aware. It made her completely uncomfortable around them, especially with Kyou present. 

"Okay... okay. We'll stop... so who are these last three?" Arisa asked. 

Kyou shook off the embarrassment of the previous topic. 

"Ritsu is a Sohma that I know you two have never met. Probably haven't heard of." Kyou added. 

"Is that the cross dresser who's always apologizing for everything?" Arisa asked. 

Man, does Tohru tell these girls everything?! 

"Uh... yeah. He's the monkey." Kyou replied. 

"Woah... man Tohru... how were you able to keep this secret for so long!?" Arisa asked."This is insane!" 

Tohru smiled bashfully. 

"It really is astounding. All this time and she never once uttered a word to us Kyou." Saki said, proud of her friend's loyalty to the Sohma family.

Kyou turned to Tohru and smiled warmly. It really was amazing. Such an immense secret to hide from two people that obviously mean so much to her. It's incredible that she never once slipped up about their curse, not once. 

"That leaves only two... the horse and the rooster." Saki added. 

"Oh man... the horse... please tell me it is some beautiful, long mane badass!" Arisa shouted excitedly 

Tohru laughed as she made her way toward her friends and sat next to them on the bed. 

"Actually, Uo-chan... you couldn't be more spot on. Her name is Isuzu and she's a true beauty with long black hair and a stunning figure." Tohru said as she grabbed both of her friends' hands 

"This may sound silly, but Isuzu really reminds me of the both of you. When I first met you two, it took awhile to break through your hard exterior, but that's only because the world had been so cruel and cold to you both... All you needed was someone to love you and accept you for who you were in order for you to break out of that shell. And that's how I see Isuzu.. she's a good person...I just need to break through that hard shell of hers." Tohru giggled. 

The girls looked at their friend with tears in their eyes, touched by the sentiment. 

"Oh, Tohru!" They both said in unison as they wrapped their arms around Tohru in a full embrace. 

"You guys are so cheesy." Kyou said sarcastically. 

"Oh please carrots, you know you weren't exactly Mr. Sensitive when you two first met either.... so she's clearing talking about you too!" Arisa barked 

Kyou thought about Arisa's sharp words and realized she was right. To spare himself humiliation he chose to remain silent. 

"So Tohru... then who is the rooster?" Saki asked

Tohru sat breathless. It was the moment she knew she would enevitably have to face, but never to this extent. 

She had to tell Arisa the truth. 

Tohru turned to face Arisa and grabbed her hands tightly. She was unable to fully look into her eyes. 

"The rooster.... the rooster is...." Tohru stated, finally having the nerve to give her direct eye contact." 

"Kureno" 

To be continued


End file.
